


Flight of the Phoenix

by appending_fic



Category: Gravity Falls, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Relationships, Bill Cipher Being Bill Cipher, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Child Abuse, Character Death, Crushes, Deal with a Devil, Deception, Developing Relationship, Enemies to Friends, Evil Plans, High School, Human Bill Cipher, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Manipulation, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Has a Quirk, Multi, Rivalry, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Teenage Drama, Todoroki Enji | Endeavor's Bad Parenting, Triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2019-09-14 11:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 64,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16912035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appending_fic/pseuds/appending_fic
Summary: When a bystander with a time-stopping Quirk offers to help Midoriya Izuku survive his ill-thought-out charge at the sludge villain, Midoriya ends up developing the Quirk his parents should have passed down onto him. He still impresses All Might enough that the Number One Hero agrees to teach him as practice for his first year teaching at U.A.But One for All needs to go somewhere, and there are still villains and vigilantes who will make Midoriya's time at U.A. far more dangerous than it should be....And who is Harai Akira, anyway?





	1. Inequivalent Exchange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midoriya's body moves before he can think. Someone steps in to help him before his heroism gets him killed.
> 
> All Harai-san needs is one little thing in return.

The world around Midoriya turned grey and the people around him slowed until they were frozen in place. Kacchan's face was stuck in a furious scowl (Midoriya's mother had always said it might stick that way), and the villain's sludge poised mid-drip. Midoriya, caught mid-leap, found he could move, albeit very slowly, and eased himself to the ground. He looked around cautiously for some hint of who had caused that, and found...a person. It was...hard to look at them; something about their shape or face was difficult to perceive or remember. Their face was angular, he thought, and there was a hint of a wide smile.

“Hey, looks like you got yourself in a real pickle, Jade-kun! I say pickle, but of course I mean an absolute shitshow. Because in about thirty seconds that villain’s gonna turn you inside out and then kill your little friend over there.” The person paused. "Also, I _say_ thirty seconds, but we got as much time as I want to chat before I let you suffer the consequences of your actions."

Midoriya felt a hitch, a spark of excitement at the declaration. For all that everyone's Quirk was different, there were Quirks that were common in theme, and those that were uncommon. And time manipulation was among the rarest of Quirks. He didn't know of a single living hero who could slow, much less _stop_ time, which meant this person was a _new_ hero.

"Who are you? Are you a hero? Did you just stop time, or accelerate our perception of it?"

"Whoa." The person held a hand up at Midoriya. "I may have said we as much time as I want, but that’s not as much time as _you_ want. I’ve got other places to be. So we can either get a good angle on the moment when your buddy's eyes pop out of his head or talk business."

Midoriya's stomach churned at the mention of Kacchan's eyes; he glanced up at the sludge villain, trying to tell if the sludge was moving, if Kacchan was struggling.

"Don't worry - he can't feel anything right now. Can't even think. We could leave them like this forever, but it's a bit boring for a tableau, you know? If I wanted something to pose in the foyer, I'd go for something a little more dynamic."

"This isn't the time for making jokes; Kacchan needs _help_!"

"Well, sure, eventually. But I think _you_ might need a hand, too." The person slipped around Midoriya, standing between him and the villain. "I mean, if you had a _Quirk_ , you might stand a chance. But you knew that. And you still jumped in without a second thought. A real _hero_."

He didn't say the word hero the way most people did, with awe, respect, or envy. He said it dry, dismissively, like Kacchan saying 'Deku'. Like jumping into danger to protect people was _foolish_. Not a hero, then. But if he wasn't a hero...what was he doing here?

But he was wrong about Midoriya. "I'm not a hero-"

"No, you're a hero, kid; I know the type. A shame they-" The person made a gesture toward Kacchan and the sludge villain, "can't see that without you having some flashy powers. But I promise you, kid, whether or not the heroes let you join their little club, you're the type that makes the _worst_ trouble for villains."

Midoriya felt a quaver in his chest and a prickling at his eyes - he'd started running toward the villain without thinking, but had panicked when he realized he was going to die, that everyone who'd told him he would never be a hero without a Quirk was right. To hear this stranger tell him they were wrong, in a tone so matter-of-fact that it should be obvious to anyone, left him uncertain how to feel - except overwhelmed.

A corner of his mind, a quiet thought, asked how the opinion of this strange man, not a hero or villain but something _else_ , could matter more than that of All Might.

"Who _are_ you?" Midoriya demanded. "I've never heard of a hero like you-"

" _I'm_ not a hero, Jade-kun. My Quirk's not really suited for this sort of fight. But I like to offer assistance where I can." He held out a hand. "Harai Akira."

Midoriya reached out his hand automatically. "Midoriya Izuku."

"Well, now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way, how about it, Jade-kun?"

"How about...what?"

"You want a Quirk? Take a shot at surviving the next five minutes of your life?"

If time hadn't already stopped (and was that Harai's Quirk?), Midoriya would have said it did when Harai asked that question. What he was suggesting was impossible. You _couldn't_ transfer Quirks. If it were possible-

"Can - you _do_ that?"

There was a suggestion of a shrug. "I can do pretty much anything I put my mind to, and right now that includes giving you a Quirk."

"Well-" Midoriya struggled to fit this declaration into his understanding of the world. Not the part about 'pretty much anything', because that suggested Harai Akira was some kind of god, but simply that there was a path laid in front of him which ended with Midoriya having a Quirk.

...A path that involved a gift offered by a near stranger.

"And is there something...you want in exchange for that?"

"Ah, the straightforward type. I like that. You're a smart kid, Jade-kun. Observant. I bet nothing gets by you. I'm sort of the same; I see _lots_ of things. But I don't know _everything_ \- not yet. That's where a kid like you comes in handy. I've seen that notebook you keep - where you keep your observations, theories, and strategies about every hero you've seen. _That's_ what I want."

"My...notebook?" It struck Midoriya suddenly how ludicrous this was - the thought that he had anything valuable enough to trade for a Quirk. Maybe he'd taken a hit from the villain, lost consciousness, and this was a dream. Because no one would trade a Quirk, or at least a _good_ one, for some fanboy's journal.

"Yeah, I wanna know everything you know about all this stuff. Quirks. Heroes. All that jazz."

"And in exchange, you'll give me a Quirk? A good one?"

"I'll get you through this fight, kid."

"And it's not going to fade? You won't take it back?"

"Yeah, yeah, it'll be _yours_ \- no takebacks. All you gotta do...is shake my hand."

Midoriya snapped his gaze down at Harai's hand, stomach churning again. Not only did all of this seem impossible, it seemed like...it might be a really bad idea. He'd _never_ heard of Harai Akira, who had impeccable timing for a random bystander.

"Do you think he's really going to drown that kid?" Harai looked back at the villain, at Kacchan trapped inside. "I don't think so - he wants the kid's Quirk. The process _can't_ be pleasant, though. Making someone _feel_ like they're drowning is torture - banned by the Geneva Convention, but maybe this guy's American - guys like that don't care as much about that sort of thing. Of course, if he doesn't _kill_ that kid, means he's planning to wear him like a suit. I wonder what that's like, being stuck in your own body, watching it be used to do _terrible_ things you can't stop. I hope that kid doesn't want to be a hero - even if he broke free, I doubt his reputation could recover from _that_."

" _I'll do it_."

\---

The other heroes lunged uselessly at the boy - the normal, _Quirkless_ boy - as he rushed toward the villain and his hostage. Toshinori, helpless, his power exhausted, watched in unique horror. Because while the onlookers, the other heroes, saw a child running into danger, only Toshinori knew the child had no Quirk, no way to fight this villain.

Only he _knew_ this child was going to die.

The boy swung his backpack around and threw it in a wide arc at the villain - a clever move, one that distracted the villain for a key moment. But it wouldn't be enough; Toshinori saw the villain recovering, tightening his grip on his hostage. The hostage screamed, and another explosion rent the street.

The boy raised a hand to shield his eyes, and the flames-

 _Washed around him_ , gathering around his arms like sleeves. Quirkless? Had the boy been lying, or was it merely a power he'd never had reason to discover?

The boy seemed as surprised as Toshinori felt, which is why he stepped forward, calling forth One for All. Quirk or no Quirk, the boy didn't seem confident enough to control it. The villain slammed a tendril of sludge down toward the boy, who danced back, tracking the movements of his opponent with a keen eye. The flames around him raged, but didn't touch the boy, instead covering him like a shroud. Toshinori didn't have the time to consider what the boy’s Quirk was, only to be grateful it was keeping him safe as Toshinori pushed through the crowd, and the villain finally noticed All Might was here.

He tried to tighten his grip on his hostage, but the boy was suddenly yanked from the villain's grasp. The (not so) Quirkless boy was underneath him, both boys colliding in twin shouts as All Might seized his chance.

"Detroit _Smash_!"

Toshinori had some time to think as he tracked down the boy, the not-so Quirkless one. The boy who'd wanted to know if he could become a hero without a Quirk. Who'd leapt into danger without a second thought. Had he really believed he had no Quirk? In that moment, Toshinori had thought so, had been so moved he'd remembered what it meant to be a hero.

Whatever the boy's circumstances, one thing was certain.

He was a hero already.

Tears glimmered in the boy's - Midoriya's - eyes at Toshinori's declaration.

"But I must know one thing, young Midoriya. You asked me if you could become a hero without a Quirk. But you used a Quirk in that fight."

Midoriya stiffened, hands clenching against the ground. "I didn't - I wasn't lying to you, All Might. Sir. I never - this was the first time I ever used a Quirk. I don't even know what it _does_!"

Toshinori held up his hands. "I believe you! But if you want to be registered - _recognized_ \- as a hero, you will need to learn what your Quirk can do. Learn to use it with the same familiarity as kids who've been using theirs since they were four or five years old." He didn't know why he said what he said next. Except.

He'd come here to find a successor. He wasn't certain if this reckless boy with an untrained Quirk was an appropriate heir to One For All. But All Might was more than One for All. He had a legacy that he was returning to U.A. to pass on. He had ten months until he began teaching other young heroes.

"And I would be honored to help you learn."

Maybe starting with one would help ease him into it.

\---

"This beach used to be a beautiful place, I've heard. But over the years it's become a dumping ground for trash. And with every person who used it as a dump, two others thought it was okay." All Might stood atop an abandoned fridge, waving a hand at the piles of junk obscuring the waterline.

Midoriya carefully looked around the makeshift dump, deserted except for him and All Might (deflated, angular, no longer forcing that perfect smile). "Why are we here?"

"To train, of course!" All Might pointed at Midoriya. "Becoming a hero isn't just about knowing how to use your Quirk. Every hero must know how to fight, and from what I can see, you've got a long way to go with that." He pointed dramatically at Midoriya. "So I have developed a training regimen for you - a diet, schedule, to get you into fighting shape! And part of that is cleaning up this beach." He gave Midoriya a flash of a grin. “It’ll be good practice for real hero work, too. Too many heroes think their job begins and ends with villains. It used to be about _community service_. But nowadays the sort of hero who lets themselves be seen cleaning a park gets ridiculed. If you train under _me_ , though, that’s exactly the type of hero you’ll be. Understood?”

"Y - yes!” Midoriya shouted out. “But…" Midoriya looked at his hands. He remembered the flames caused by Kacchan's uncontrolled blasts encircling his hands, torso, his entire body. He'd felt _safe_ , the fire enveloping him with comforting warmth. He'd wondered afterward if this is what if felt like to use one’s Quirk. He hadn't, however, been able to duplicate the feeling. He couldn't create fire himself, or hadn't been able to, no matter how hard he'd concentrated. But he'd thought about it, and his Quirk made some sort of sense. It was most common for children to inherit one parent's Quirk, or something like it. It was rarer, but not unusual, for children to inherit Quirks that combined both their parents' Quirks. Midoriya's father could breathe flame, and his mother could pull objects toward her, so a Quirk that let him pull _fire_ toward him was perfectly reasonable. At least it wasn't a Quirk unrelated to either of them - even though a kid could have a mutated Quirk that wasn't like their parents, it always made people talk.

"What about my Quirk?"

All Might huffed and crossed his arms. "That's trickier. If we had a better idea of what it is, we could schedule some time at a Quirk gym." Because people weren't allowed to use Quirks in public, there were places a person could go to practice controlling their Quirks - they were free to use for students under adult supervision, but some adults would pay to practice keeping a handle on Quirks that could make their life difficult, or master a Quirk they'd never been able to as a kid. Not knowing exactly what his Quirk did, though, made it difficult to know what assistance they'd need at the gym.

"I… _think_ I can use fire to - protect myself. My mom can pull objects toward her and my dad can breath fire - I think his throat's fireproof."

"Hm. Fire resistance, and the ability to draw an element toward you. We can work with that. But! Regardless, you _must_ train your body. Without the ability to fight, even someone with a powerful Quirk will be at a disadvantage. So. Let's begin!"

It took two weeks before All Might was able to secure a discreet session at a Quirk gym. Two weeks of grueling training, in which Midoriya made no progress. Midoriya spent most of the train ride to the gym in a glum fog. For some reason, All Might thought Midoriya could become a great hero, but Midoriya was failing him. Harai had given Midoriya an amazing Quirk, he was sure, and he hadn't done _anything_ with it.

He was failing _both_ of them.

He paused on the train platform, chest feeling hollow, skin shivering with chill, and for a moment, the world around him was pale, almost colorless. He wondered if Harai was returning to reprimand Midoriya for not using his Quirk well, to take it back (he'd _promised_ , but someone who could give someone Quirks could take them away, too, Midoriya guessed). A young woman with hair the shade of an apple, red blending to yellow, passed just outside of Midoriya's reach, and he started back to himself, unsure how long he'd been standing there moping. Long enough he'd be late if he didn't hurry (Harai probably never had to worry about that, with his time-stopping Quirk), so Midoriya jogged out of the station toward the gym.

The gym was a squat building next to a department store; it had a heavy, industrial look that someone had tried to combat by painting the entrance a vibrant shade of red. Midoriya passed a pair of tiny old women with six-inch-long fingers, and someone who looked like they were made of building blocks, as he entered. The front desk was plain, a bored-looking young man tapping the counter with iron claws as he listened to music.

Midoriya saw other people wandering past the counter, returning from what he guessed were locker rooms, and felt his nerves ease a little. He'd somehow imagined this a - remedial class, where only people terrible with their Quirks went. But it seemed there were ordinary people here - there was someone with awkward bat wings fluttering behind them, a group of young students led by a harried teacher, a salaryman giving the boy at the desk a professional nod.

And there was All Might - not buffed up, and therefore standing, gangly, sickly-thin, to the side of the door. On seeing Midoriya, he straightened to his full height (much less imposing without the muscles to bulk out his form) and waved.

"Midoriya."

"I'm sorry I'm late, All-" Midoriya froze mid-word, tongue stumbling over the sudden realization he didn't have anything he could call this man except All Might, and that would expose his secret to the world. "Um."

"You can call me Sensei, if you want." All Might scratched at his chin. "Yagi-Sensei, I suppose."

"Yagi...sensei?"

"My family name isn't 'Might', young Midoriya. Come on, we've only got an hour."

Sputtering, Midoriya hurried after...Yagi-sensei, who waved at the boy at the desk as he wandered through, past the changing rooms and into a surprisingly high-ceilinged room lined with mats and pads. There was a ceramic urn at the center of the room, and a whirring clatter from above; Midoriya glanced around until he noted the exhaust vent rattling along, clearly to handle the results of any mishaps with Midoriya's Quirk.

Yagi-sensei ambled to the urn and fiddled with something on it until an orange flame flickered to life, dancing along the rim of the...brazier, Midoriya guessed now. Yagi-sensei looked to Midoriya, one eyebrow raised.

"Now, you've only been able to affect fire that already exists, correct?"

Midoriya nodded hurriedly. "Sorry, but yes. My father can breathe fire, but-"

"No need to apologize; it's _your_ Quirk, not your father's. I just wanted to make sure I had the setup right." He waved at the fire. "So we'll start slow. I remember during the fight the fire wrapped around you, so I just want you to see if you can touch the flame without-"

It had caught Midoriya by surprise, seeing the flame appear, but as Yagi-sensei had spoken, he'd found his gaze drawn to it, the orange blended with yellow and orange, no blue, no core of black, as Yagi-sensei had clearly decided to start with a weak fire to avoid burning Midoriya. The thought seemed strange, to Midoriya, who had felt an answering spark in his chest when the flame had flared to life. Yagi-sensei had stopped mid-sentence because Midoriya had passed his hand through the flame, or tried to.

The flame parted as his hand passed through it, before settling on the back of his hand. It was...warm, and as Midoriya twisted his hand around, the flame climbed around it, leaving a - film or sheath of fire as the flame settled in his palm. His whole hand felt warm - not just warm where the fire touched, but inside, as well, where he could feel small pulses of heat along with the beat of his heart.

"It doesn't hurt at all, Midoriya?" Yagi-sensei asked cautiously.

"No! It feels…" Midoriya looked up at Yagi-sensei, who started, eyes a little wide, as if taken aback. "How does it feel when you use _your_ Quirk?"

"Feels?" Yagi-sensei tapped at his chin again. "Like a rushing waterfall pouring into me. Like a thousand explosions all at once! What is it your Quirk makes you feel?"

"Like…" Midoriya let his eyes drift closed as he took in the sensations, of the welcoming warmth, fire cultivated, sustained by his Quirk. Where he held the flame, his hand felt...soothed. He'd been clenching his hands in his lap the entire trip over here, but that hand didn't feel tense. "Good. My hand-" He shook it, and the flame separated, vanishing once it had no more fuel. The ache didn't return to his hand, and he felt a flare of something (surprise? hope?) lit in his chest. "It feels good. Warm."

"Well, it _is_ fire," Yagi-sensei murmured. "It didn't hurt?"

Midoriya shook his head. It was strange - his mother had always warned him to be cautious with open flames, only for Midoriya to gain a Quirk that seemed to make him fireproof. Except…

"Can we try a hotter flame?"

Yagi-sensei gave Midoriya a concerned look, but bent to the side of the brazier, which flared a little hotter; Midoriya could see blue flickering in the heart of the flame. He swiped his other hand through it once, and all at once it was engulfed in flame. Yagi-sensei yelped in surprise, but Midoriya waved him away before looking at the fire, enshrouding his hand like a mitten, complete with the warmth soaking into his bones. It was unsurprising, he supposed, that sheathing his hand in fire soothed muscle aches as well as a hot spring could, but for a Quirk he hadn't imagined to have much variety to prove its flexibility right away was…

Well, he'd been a little disappointed when he'd rushed at the villain imprisoning Kacchan and found he didn't have a Quirk he could use to defeat him in one go. But clearly Harai had given him something valuable - a _good_ Quirk. He wasn't sure yet if it was enough to get him into U.A., but it was _something_. 

"Are you sure you're alright? A lot of fire-based Quirks can make their users overheat if they rely on them too much."

Midoriya nodded. "Yeah! I'm fine. Can we try-"

"No. We aren't here to train your Quirk - we're here to get a feel for it. So let's move on to something else. Back there, I thought I saw the fire move _toward_ you - which means, with your mother's Quirk, you might have some ability to control fire, so I want to see how much you can do."

The answer wasn't much. If there was fire within about a meter of Midoriya, he could pull it toward him; if he didn't immediately wrap it around a limb, it went out. But it was something, and Yagi-sensei seemed pleased with the results of the session, promising to schedule in some time for Midoriya to practice his Quirk.

"No practicing in public," Yagi-sense warned. "It may feel new and exciting, but it isn't allowed, and getting in trouble over something like that might keep you out of U.A."

So Midoriya refrained from practicing in public, but he did try his hand at the stove at home before their next meeting, proudly announcing to Yagi-sensei he could withstand temperatures as high as two thousand degrees without any injury. Yagi-sensei had responded to that with an odd look before forbidding Midoriya from practicing his Quirk at home, either.

And slowly...Midoriya made progress. First, he found he could shove smaller pieces of trash with little effort and move the larger ones. And then he could lift, and even toss around the smaller parts and start moving things like refrigerators. With some effort, he could pull fire toward himself from two meters, but it left him a little strained and sore in a way a flame coat couldn't soothe.

Other things he discovered in the next nine and a half months:

The flame coat couldn't fix cuts or bruises, though it did mute the pain of such injuries.

Yagi-sensei knew a lot about movies, especially American movies. Strangely, he didn't think much of movies about heroes.

With some effort, Midoriya could increase flames touching him, nurturing them until they were spread over his whole body. With time, he could do this even from a single spark, though it didn't seem worth it. He _did_ , however, practice until he could go from a spark to a flame engulfing his entire hand with little thought. And Yagi-sensei had helped him get a pair of gloves that created sparks when he snapped his fingers.

Yagi-sensei was as hesitant to discuss himself as he was in interviews. Consequently, Midoriya didn't ask the question he most wanted to - namely, what All Might's Quirk was.

When Midoriya was holding fire, anything he was touching _before_ he called the fire to hand took no damage from the flame cloak (this was why his clothes didn't burst into flames every time he used his Quirk). _After_ that, though…

Yagi-sensei lost one shirt to Midoriya's Quirk, and they'd set off the fire suppression system twice before he learned to keep his hands to himself once he'd picked up flame.

And suddenly, too soon, the U.A. entrance exam was upon them. The night before Midoriya had shown off his work on the beach, which he'd cleared further than Yagi-sensei had asked, soothing his aching muscles every night sitting in the bath, body enshrouded in flame. This morning he woke with a buzz in his mind, his chest tight, not quite an ache, and something he knew his Quirk couldn't ease.

Today, he decided his future.

\---

A few careful strikes with flame-enshrouded hands was enough to singe some critical systems in the one-point robots. The two-pointers were more aggressive and required better reflexes to avoid and get in close enough to hit.

Midoriya didn’t trust his strength to get through the armor on the three-pointers, so he let others blast their way through those.

At least until he saw the wild-haired kid with tired eyes facing off against one.

Not facing off, Midoriya corrected himself when the boy scrambled away from the villain bot’s charge. Trying to escape. The boy was clearly like Midoriya, unwilling to test his strength against the heavily-armed villains. But the robot had him cornered between the buildings on either side and another that had collapsed, blocking the road.

So Midoriya charged in slamming a fist against the robot’s treads to no effect. He snapped his fingers and took a deep breath, flame spreading up his arm, dodging away from the robot’s arms as it swiveled around to crush him.

“Can you get at some weak point if I distract it?” Midoriya asked.

The boy, watching Midoriya with wide eyes, shook his head. “I can’t - not against machines-“

And it occurred to Midoriya only then how unfair this test was to applicants whose Quirks weren’t geared for combat. Pro Eraserhead wouldn’t have been able to fight robots like this. He remembered Harai, who couldn’t fight like the boy with engines in his legs, or the pretty girl who’d saved him earlier, who was lifting robots high enough to break them when they fell. Harai wasn’t a hero, but he’d still-

“Stick with me, and I’ll keep you safe.” The boy’s face scrunched up like he wanted to protest, but then a pair of one-pointers hopped over the wall of rubble. Midoriya dispatched them with relative ease, and when he turned back, the boy had drawn closer. 

Close enough Midoriya yanked his hands back. “Sorry! I don’t want to burn you by accident. If I were touching you before I’d used my fire, I could protect you. Otherwise-“ Behind him, one of the robots crashed to the ground.

The ground shook and the other boy swore, staring over Midoriya’s shoulder.

“What is it?” Midoriya twisted his head around and saw it.

The zero-point robot.

They’d called it an obstacle. This wasn’t an obstacle; it was a force of nature! Meters high, it rolled toward them, hero applicants fleeing before it. Midoriya moved to shield the other boy and urge him away.

“Can you keep that fire up just by concentrating?”

“What? Yes. Why?”

“I’m sorry,” the boy murmured.

“For-“

—-

Shinsou had been staring at the envelope from U.A. for ten minutes, but it hadn't grown any larger, and he was beginning to wonder if the envelope was mocking him, a sign he'd been doing this too long. It wasn't as if he had a chance, anyway. He'd ended the practical exam with no points, and in the last moments, seeing one of the applicants trapped under a pile of rubble, about to be crushed by the zero-point obstacle, he'd used his Quirk on another applicant. He'd forced the messy-haired boy with the plain face into danger to strike at the key weaknesses of the monstrous robot to send it falling away from the trapped girl. They'd been clear that manipulating other applicants was one of the few prohibitions in the test, so there was no uncertainty about Shinsou's fate.

Well, that wasn't true. They might decide Shinsou's violation of those rules meant he was unsuitable for the General Department, as well.

So he sighed and sliced open the envelope with his letter opener, bracing himself for the 'Thank you for your application to the Hero Department, but'-

A small metal disk fell out of the envelope and bounced onto his desk. It flickered and then an image of All Might appeared in the air, about eye level. All Might smiled, and for a moment, Shinsou felt it was a smile directed at him.

"Shinsou Hitoshi!" He jolted in his seat, the unexpected address startling him. "U.A. has decided to respond to our applicants with these holo-messages, and I, All Might, am recording each of them to discuss your application results. Shinsou, you did exceptionally on the written portion of the exam - within the top 10. Of course, your score on the written exam means nothing if you failed the practical exam. You are aware you defeated zero of the robot villains, giving you a villain score of zero. Of course, other factors came into play, and I think you'll be interested to see this!"

The image shifted to a messy office. Present Mic was sprawled in a chair staring intently at a screen (music, or villain data, or the results of this exam, Shinsou didn't know). A knock at the door drew Present Mic straight up. "Come on in!" the hero shouted, and the door opened to admit the messy-haired boy, and Shinsou's heart sank. Here it was - if they hadn't already known what Shinsou had done, the boy would have told them. Of course, anyone would be eager to get rid of an aspiring hero with such a _villainous Quirk_.

"Present Mic...sensei?"

"Oh, no, don't worry about that. I'm not anyone's sensei until they start at U.A. What brings you here?"

"My name is Midoriya Izuku. I was one of the applicants-"

"Yes, yes. We've been tallying the results. And we aren't going to release the results until-"

"I know you haven't released the results yet - that's why I wanted to talk to you about one of the other applicants!" Midoriya took a deep breath. "I didn't get his name - he had really wild hair - blue or - and looked sort of tired…" He looked up at Present Mic with wide eyes, until the announcer nodded slowly.

"Shinsou Hitoshi. He was in your testing group."

Midoriya nodded. "He was. During the exam - I think he used his Quirk on me. In the last minute or so, I sort of...lost control of my body."

"You mean during your most impressive moment of the exam?" The image shifted again, showing Midoriya rushing around the massive arena trap robot, one hand out, flaming, drawing along its treads. It turned, unsteadily, toward him, but something was clearly wrong. For all that the decision had doomed him, Shinsou felt a thrill of satisfaction watching. He'd watched other applicants take down the robots, seeing their weak points, where they could stand even if you struck them there. Obviously, despite their different appearances, they were made with the same design, and so Shinsou had known just how to weaken the robot enough to collapse under its own weight.

"That wasn't me. He said something to me - apologized, and then I couldn't - I wasn't in control. And I know we were told not to do that, not to attack other applicants, but I realized that he _didn't_ attack me. There was someone near the robot - trapped. I think he thought there wasn't time to tell me what I needed to do. Maybe he thought...I wouldn't help her even if I _did_ see her. I don't know, but you can't penalize him for that!"

Present Mic leaned back in his seat, steepling his fingers together. "Shinsou didn't earn a single villain point in the practical exam. Having seen his Quirk, I'm sure you know that."

"I _know_. But I thought - you might tell other schools what happened, and I don't think you should. If he can - do what he did, people might get the wrong idea. He shouldn't have to suffer for making the _right choice_."

Shinsou wanted a way to pause the video, to have a moment to _process_ that. Of _course_ protecting that girl had been the right decision - he hadn't had to _think_ about it. But something about Shinsou's Quirk made people nervous, made them wonder what his real motivations were - he couldn't think of a single person outside of his parents who'd defended his Quirk. His chest felt tight, and the projection was inexplicably blurry.

"You're _way_ off base there. Heroism is about sacrifice - every hero can tell you a story about something they've lost because they made the right choice. But you're also right. The U.A. entrance exam isn't just about combat prowess and cool moves. It's about _being a hero_. Which is why...in addition to villain points, for defeating the robot enemies, we award _rescue points_ , for acts of heroism."

Midoriya was staring at Present Mic with wide eyes. "You, Midoriya Izuku, scored 40 villain points, and 20 rescue points - and with that, earned a place in U.A."

The image shifted back to All Might, who gave Shinsou a blinding smile. "So while you scored zero villain points, Shinsou, your heroic act - risking not only your admission to the U.A. Hero program, but your reputation, even your _future_ , to save _one_ person - earned _60 rescue points_!"

Shinsou didn't hear what All Might said next; he kept trying to follow the thought of '60 points' to its logical conclusion and kept falling short. Midoriya had gotten 60 points and gotten in U.A. If Shinsou had _also_ gotten 60 points…

Shinsou's father stepped in half an hour later. "It's time for dinner." Shinsou nodded, silent. "Your mother said the letter from U.A. came. You smashed the General Department exam, I'm sure."

"I didn't get into the General Department," Shinsou replied, dully.

"Impossible! Whatever they think of your Quirk, you're brilliant-"

"I got into the Hero Department."

To his father's stunned silence, Shinsou reached out and pressed the disk, replaying the last few moments of the video.

"Shinsou Hitoshi, welcome to the U.A. Hero Program!"

Shinsou swiped at his eyes, because he _wasn't going to cry_ , no matter how impossible this had seemed. That somehow he'd rendered half a dozen contingency plans moot...because when things had come down to the last moment, he'd acted like a hero.

\---

Stendhal looked up, cautiously. The noise of the streets outside had faded, and something was...wrong. He grasped a dagger and raised it in one smooth motion. You didn't get where Stendhal was without making enemies, and now that he'd realized his enemies now included over half the 'heroes' in Japan, he was feeling jumpy.

"Hey...nice knife!" There was...someone else in Stendhal's apartment. He must have had some sort of visual distortion Quirk, because no matter how long Stendhal looked at the intruder, he couldn't _remember_ what the person looked like. "You know where I can get one like it, or is this one of those 'forged with the blood of your enemies' deals?"

Stendhal flipped the knife around. "Get out. I won't ask again, and _won't_ be involving the police."

There was a moment of quiet, and then the other person burst into laughter. "Are you… _threatening_ me?"

"I am telling you what will happen if you don't _leave_."

"Oh my goodness, you _are_!" The intruder laughed again, an enthused, rapid-fire sound, with something - a hint of malice, Stendhal thought - worrying in it. "That might be the most adorable thing I've ever seen!"

"If you think I'm bluffing-"

"Oh, I _know_ you aren't. I've watched you with _a great deal of interest_ , Stain-kun."

There was something wrong with what the intruder had said. "It's _Sten_ dhal."

"Sure, whatever you say! I just thought you might need a new name - a new motivation, a new life, a new name, right?"

Stendhal felt an unfamiliar worry curl in his chest. He tucked the knife in close, wondering how much of the intruder's apparent unconcern was bravado. "How do you know-"

"Like I said, I've been _watching_ you, Stain-kun."

"Why? _How_?"

"That's not really important right now."

"Not-"

"Fine, I don't _want_ to tell you. Needless to say, I'm a fan."

"A - fan?"

"Of your work. Your convictions. And I've got to say, I'm expecting _big things_ from you, Stain-kun."

"Big…" Stendhal's chest fluttered oddly; he couldn't place the feeling, or its source.

"Oh, yes. You remember? When you realized? Heroes are supposed to be _different_ from villains."

"You…" Stendhal wanted to protest he'd never said anything like that aloud, only thought it in his own head - but he was growing more certain he couldn't do anything to hurt this intruder, so no threat would earn him an answer if the intruder didn't want to give one. "Why are you here?" That, at least, the intruder should have no trouble answering.

"I want to help you, Stain-kun. You want to unearth the dark side of hero society, expose and destroy those who aren't _real_ heroes."

"And you do...too?"

There was a movement, the hint of a shrug. "What's the point of heroes who aren't heroes? Unfortunately, due the nature of my Quirk, I don't do things for free, so I'm gonna need something from you in exchange."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Midoriya Izuku  
> Quirk: Pyrokinesis  
> Midoriya is resistant to high temperatures and flame. The exact range of temperatures he can weather is unknown. Midoriya can manipulate any flame that exists within a small radius of him, drawing it close to him and sustaining it without fuel.


	2. Two By Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quirk Assessment, and Combat Training. Midoriya makes one friend, another enemy, and discovers the magic of his local library.

In the ten months before he joined U.A., Midoriya did a lot of reading. Other people called him a fanboy or a nerd, but would also add Midoriya knew more about heroes than anyone else.

It took only a week of reading for Midoriya to realize...he didn't know much about heroes at all.

The first thing he did was the easiest one, but also the one with the lowest likelihood of success. And indeed, searches for 'Harai Akira' uncovered three living people with that name, none of whom lived close enough to be the bystander who'd given Midoriya his Quirk. All of them were proud of their Quirks, and none of their Quirks - Unlock, Double-Jointed, and Proboscis - could be the same Quirk that Harai had used to stop time.

Searches for Quirks that stopped time proved even less helpful - no Pro hero had such a power, no sidekick, no entertainer or public figure. The closest he could find was the scandal when some pro video gamer had proven to have an unregistered Quirk that gave them enhanced reflexes.

But driven to discover the identity of his benefactor (to make sure he wasn't secretly a villain), Midoriya decided to brave the public library.

Of course, staring at the stacks of nonfiction books about Quirks, Midoriya realized he had no idea what he really wanted to look for. Knowing about time-stopping Quirks wouldn't let him figure out who Harai was.

But thinking about Quirks made Midoriya realize there was another possible Quirk Harai could have. If he had the ability to _transfer_ Quirks, he could have any Quirk he wanted (such a person _could_ reasonably claim to be able to do 'pretty much anything' they put their mind to).

"Hey. You lost, kid?"

Midoriya looked up, and there was a young woman - adult, but likely younger than Midoriya's mother. Her face was slack, a little disinterested, as she was leaning against the opposite shelf, eyes narrowed at Midoriya. Her hair, cut to her chin, was black down to her nose, where it went purple, a ragged line dividing the two shades. Dressed in grey and black, she looked a little imposing, although her nametag reading 'Kaisa' suggested she was not supposed to be.

"I - don't know." Midoriya looked back at the shelves, imposing fat books next to slim, brightly-colored ones. "I met someone with an unusual Quirk, and I wanted to know-"

"Quirk registries are classified, kid."

"Y - yeah, I know! But I thought...I don't know, he might be famous, or his Quirk, at least, it was pretty unusual, and not the sort of Quirk people would tend to keep quiet. But it was powerful, so if you didn't want to be a hero, or a villain, it might be something you don't like people talking about. And maybe not the type of Quirk you'd learn about when you were young - people who learn about their Quirks later in life tend not to become heroes; the rigorous training is best started before you're past your physical prime-"

"Yeah, I'm not well-equipped to answer undirected rambling," the librarian interrupted. "But hey, you asked about a Quirk. You know what it is?"

"I think...he could give people Quirks."

Midoriya was good at paying attention to people. He'd watched heroes fight - on the news and in person - for close to a decade, taking notes on every detail. So the tiniest stiffening of the librarian's form didn't get past him, even if she pushed herself away from the bookshelf to conceal her shock.

"You're right someone with a Quirk like that might keep it quiet. Even if they were a villain...or a hero. I think...you might want to read about the history of Quirks." She stepped past Midoriya, ducked down, and grabbed a book from the bottom shelf. It was almost six inches thick, tan, and entitled, 'Individuality: The History of Superpowers in Humans and Other Species'. It seemed excessively thick for a book covering a century or two of human history.

But on the librarian's recommendation, Midoriya checked the book out and sat down to begin to read it.

An hour later, Midoriya tracked down the librarian, who was reshelving books at the furthest end of the library. He paused, watching her work, need to understand warring with an unwillingness to interrupt her work. At last, though, his drive to understand, the confusion born on what he'd read in the third chapter of 'Individuality', pushed him forward.

"Excuse me? Kaisa-san?"

The librarian set her book down on the cart next to her and turned to Midoriya. "Yeah?"

"There was something in that book that-" had left Midoriya shaken, had made him realize the world of heroes, that he thought he understood, was _nothing_ what he'd thought it was, "confused me."

"Jozeha is a notoriously difficult read. The dictionaries are-"

"It's not a word I didn't understand. The book talked about 'presumed Quirks'..."

"Well, yeah." The librarian shrugged. "Not every country requires citizens to register Quirks - America's a big offender there. And it took a while even for Japan to get a good handle on describing Quirks. So when talking about historical figures, we need to presume their Quirks based on capabilities they demonstrated."

"But _Sarutobi Sasuke_?" Midoriya demanded, louder than he'd intended; his voice was muffled, a little, by the shelves, but the librarian raised a finger to her lips, and he felt his cheeks heat in embarrassment. "Sorry," he whispered. "But Sarutobi Sasuke was born-"

"Five hundred years or more ago, give or take a century," the librarian said.

"But that would mean-"

"'Individuality' is among the seminal works on the history of Quirks, and an excellent examination of the academic consensus that Quirks have existed nearly as long as humanity." The librarian stepped up to Midoriya, who couldn't put words to the feeling inside him. Everyone knew that the first human to manifest a Quirk was the Luminescent Baby of Qingqing. Everyone, apparently, except anybody who knew anything about the subject. The librarian put a hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "The first lesson you need to learn when looking for the truth, is that you need to be prepared to find answers you didn't expect...or didn't want to hear."

"But why…" Midoriya's eyes were watering, and he sniffed, trying to keep from crying out of - frustration or confusion, he didn't know what - in the public library. "You could have warned me."

"You would have gone searching through that book for proof of what I told you. You wouldn't have _read_ it." She stepped back. "There's a reason I suggested _this_ book, and it requires you to read it without preconceptions."

With that admonishment, Midoriya returned to the book, as he did often over the next several months, in between other books and articles recommended by Kaisa. Because it was comprehensive in addressing, at least in brief, every aspect of the history of Quirks.

Because the origin of Quirks was the greatest mystery of the modern age. Midoriya had heard the 'mouse virus' theory, as well as a dozen others. Early on, a geneticist had been roundly mocked for suggesting Quirks had always been in the human genome. But in time, her hypothesis had grown traction. A genomic factor present in close to 80% of the population would be incredibly sensitive to a change in environment that made expressing that factor beneficial.

From a cultural standpoint, tales of gods and superhuman heroes had always run through human folklore. It was hard to argue, with the existence of people who could set fires with their minds, that such tales were merely flights of fancy, especially once the biologists started agreeing that the Quirk factor - the genetic component to Quirks - was much older than people had first believed.

There were hints, some suggested, that there had been periods of history where Quirks were more common. The rise of Quirks in the modern age was not unlike the Greek mythic age, than any mythology that spoke of gods and heroes walking the earth. After all, was All Might much different from Hercules, or Gilgamesh, men of prodigious strength and resilience?

And then there was the modern age. Midoriya knew the story of the early years, before heroes, when people used their Quirks indiscriminately for personal gain, for crime, for violence. And then the period where real villains appeared, and the kingpins - tyrants who held power because they used their Quirks, or those of their followers, to keep the peace - flourished. In such an age, a power like Midoriya suspected Harai possessed could have made him a king.

Midoriya all but abandoned his original theory that Harai's Quirk was time-related, but searching for someone with the power to grant Quirks wasn't much more fruitful. The existence of a Quirk like Eraserhead's proved that Quirks could affect other Quirks, but discussions of other potential Quirks online died out quick - there was no proof of anyone with similar Quirks (Quirks that could amplify, join, steal, transfer other Quirks) existing, making the discussions a lot of running in circles until they gave up.

It wasn't a particularly productive ten months, all told.

But Midoriya had learned _something_. And, well, could easily see why Harai would try to stay out of everyone's way, with such a perilous Quirk. 

\---

At the end of a grueling week of evaluating the class' physical capabilities, free of any limitations on Quirk use, Aizawa-sensei scanned Class 1-A levelly. "Some of you have demonstrated creativity in the application of your Quirks. Others have shown...acceptable commitment to physical conditioning. Others have not. This is your first, and only warning: the life of a hero is brutal and physical. If your Quirk cannot support you physically, you will _fail_ as a hero if you do not take steps to compensate." He shot Shinsou a pointed look; the boy didn't give any physical response, but Midoriya winced in sympathy, anyway. He couldn't imagine what it'd be like to be singled out by the teacher; it was bad enough being singled out by Kacchan, whose raving at least seemed to irritate their classmates, rather than giving them reason to pity Midoriya.

Of course, while Midoriya had received a rambling, if heartfelt apology from Iida, the serious guy who'd called Midoriya out during the explanation of the exam, he'd managed to accumulate another...enemy or rival or whatever in Todoroki Shouto, who had given Midoriya a shocked look when he'd used a spark to run flame down aching muscles. The shock had quickly turned into a focused glare whenever Midoriya happened to look Todoroki's way. Midoriya tried to ignore it, but it was hard to pretend it didn't bother him when Endeavor's son clearly hated him.

The day after the conclusion of their Quirk assessments, at lunch, joined by Iida, Shinsou, and Uraraka, the girl who'd saved Midoriya only to be saved by Midoriya (sort of) in turn, Midoriya lamented Todoroki's hostility.

"He doesn't use his fire much," Uraraka mused. "Maybe he doesn't have a lot of control over it. Maybe he's jealous!"

"Whether he's jealous or not, it's unprofessional to let those feelings interfere in our education," Iida said with a chop of his arm.

"We're _fifteen_ ," Shinsou said, dry. "They're the same age as the people who six months ago were still asking me if I was responsible every time they heard about a crime in our district. So I guess you can say I don't have much faith in our classmates."

"We're all here to be _heroes_!"

"Not all of us are here out of a sincere desire to help people, Iida," Shinsou retorted. "Some just want the fame, or the power, or the _money_. Sure they _help_ people, but only as much as they need to get what they want. People like that - they shouldn't be here. Not _pretending_ to care about other people."

Uraraka shoved herself up with a clatter of her chair. Midoriya looked up at her, startled; she was staring at her feet, and what he could see of her face was bright red. He reached a hand toward her before letting it drop. He didn't know where the boundaries were, if he were allowed to touch, even to comfort. So he only got out a startled syllable, barely even a word, before she stormed off, fists clenched at her sides. Midoriya looked back at the other boys for some idea of what had happened. Shinsou was staring after Uraraka, eyes focused, mouth twisted in a thoughtful frown. Iida's expression didn't seem to have shifted, but it was focused on Shinsou, instead of the fleeing Uraraka.

"I don't think that criticism was appropriate, Shinsou," Iida said.

"Why not? We don't need heroes who won't solve problems because they won't get paid enough to."

"People have all sorts of reasons to enter different professions. Would you judge the world's greatest surgeon because they took up the work for a comfortable living?"

Shinsou scoffed. "It doesn't make them a bad person, but someone like that doesn't deserve to be called a _hero_."

Iida let his arms drop with a huff. "Perhaps. We still need to respect our fellow heroes."

"When they deserve to be called heroes, I will," Shinsou retorted, settling back and folding his arms. "I'm not here to make friends, so I'm not going to suck up to people who think having a good Quirk or knowing how to fight makes them worth my time."

"Well." Iida nodded his head. "You clearly have thought this through, and I cannot fault you for your ideals. But they _are_ harsh, and you should consider avoiding offending your classmates so early."

Shinsou shrugged before shooting Midoriya a glance. "What about _you_ Midoriya-kun?"

"M - me?" And yes, Shinsou was looking at Midoriya, one eyebrow raised curiously. More used to being ignored at best (most used to people telling him to stop muttering), Midoriya found the attention disconcerting. His cheeks heated, and flustered, he tried to formulate a response. "Well, people have always debated whether compensating heroes would corrupt the profession, but at the same time, it's not reasonable to expect heroes to risk their lives every day for free. It's the same as police officers and rescue workers, I think. Of course, the commercialization of heroes, including the merchandising, _does_ risk creating heroes more concerned about their own images than doing what's right. A hero's _pay_ , though, comes directly from the government in proportion to the amount of good they do, so theoretically, if you're just in it for the money, you'd do _more_ good than someone in it for the attention, who would gravitate toward high-profile work. I've seen arguments that there are inherent in flaws in how the government determines the value of hero work - too much weight to the high-profile villain work, while undervaluing other social benefits heroes could provide, but that's not the fault of any individual hero. The debate over heroes taking second jobs revolved around this same problem, some arguing it would devalue heroes' work, others that divorcing a hero's livelihood from the work itself, would create a stronger incentive for heroes to do good for the sake of it. Of course, since most heroes with second jobs are just capitalizing on their hero images, it all ties together into the same problem. The real problem, I've read, is that the weight we give to the _word_ hero means the _profession_ offers legitimacy to people with less-than-noble motives...though…" He faltered, looking up at Iida and Shinsou, and their expressions, Iida a little wide eyed and bewildered, and Shinsou staring at him, intense. Midoriya's cheeks heated again. "Sorry. Everyone says I mumble too much - I just."

"No. It's commendable you've considered all of these issues before coming to U.A.," Iida replied. "Many people never consider such weighty issues until they have already become a Pro, which can interfere with their work."

"You didn't answer me, though," Shinsou mused.

Midoriya ducked his head in the best bow he could manage while seated. "I'm sorry - I don't think I have an _answer_ the way you do. I think - if a hero does good, works every day and helps, protects, or saves people - they've done everything we need them to do. Not that - we don't need people who do it because they just want to help people! We do! Just...I think judging those who see it as a career, instead of a - _calling_ \- isn't quite fair."

Shinsou was watching Midoriya carefully throughout, quiet, and let that silence stretch on once Midoriya had finished. Midoriya shifted anxiously in his seat, feeling the weight of Shinsou's gaze. At last, the other boy nodded. "You aren't entirely wrong," Shinsou agreed. " _Especially_ about the value of different categories of public service. Obviously it's important to help defeat villains, but heroes shouldn't feel it's more profitable to patrol for _potential_ villains than help build hospitals we _know_ we need."

It was hardly a flawless school lunch; Midoriya still felt he should check on Uraraka, to make sure she wasn't upset (were they good enough friends for her to want him to care? he didn't know). But it was still among the most enjoyable he'd ever had at school.

It seemed fitting, somehow, that his afternoon was one of Midoriya's worst. He'd felt a flare of excitement when All Might had declared them ready for combat training - _hero_ combat training. His excitement dulled a little when he was partnered with Todoroki, who glared at Midoriya as if he'd personally offended the other boy. Still, they were teamed up to win a fight, so Midoriya steeled himself and stepped up to Todoroki.

"Hey, Todoroki! I guess we're going to be working together, so-"

"You should stay out of my way," Todoroki interrupted, curt.

Midoriya quailed, a little, used to hearing _that_ from Kacchan. But Todoroki _wasn't_ Kacchan, and Midoriya wasn't useless, Quirkless anymore. "Look, I know I can't do fire the way you can, but I had some thoughts how I can use my Quirk to help augment your fire-"

"I'm not going to use my fire," Todoroki retorted. "And I won't need help from _yours_ , either."

Midoriya fell back, uncertain how to argue with Todoroki. It was a team challenge, but he couldn't force Todoroki to cooperate. And Todoroki had gotten in on recommendations - doing that without a strong Quirk was nearly impossible, no matter who your father was. So it was possible he _could_ get by without Midoriya's help. So Midoriya spent the few minutes while other partners conversed (he saw Kacchan snarling at Shinsou, Uraraka conversing quietly with the boy with a bird's head, and Iida apparently talking to empty air, which meant he was partnered with Hagakure) examining his costume. The jumpsuit, green and white, didn't immediately bring to mind Midoriya's Quirk, though the pouches full of firestarters showed that when his mother had sent in the design she'd kept Midoriya's Quirk in mind. The mask and protrusion from the hood (he saw All Might give him a significant look, and Midoriya fought down a blush) gave him a look more like a rabbit than a - fire user. But Midoriya's mother had made it from his childhood designs, and he'd fight anyone here if they commented. And his firestarter gloves, at least, were there.

Midoriya and Todoroki were set to battle against Yaoyorozu (the _other_ student who got in on recommendations) and Asui, whose Quirk left her swift, maneuverable, and, with that tongue, capable of restraining them even _without_ capture tape. Yaoyorozu and Asui immediately went into a huddled conference, while Todoroki remained standing away from Midoriya, aloof and with that edge of hostility. Which was _fine_ \- Midoriya could brainstorm strategy without Todoroki's help.

He didn't end up spending as much time as he'd like planning, instead observing the other battles. 

The first, Ashida and Aoyama as heroes versus Koda and Sato's villains, was an exciting first start. Ashida's acidic Quirk gave her maneuverability and offensive ability that complemented Aoyama, and as he needed to recharge between attacks, allowed them a relentless offense. That sort of capability let them move circles around Sato, and against Koda, who hadn't been able to wrangle enough support from whatever animals were available in the training ground, they won handily.

Iida and Hagakure made formidable villains, even if Uraraka snickered as they watched Iida try to psych himself up to devoting himself to the cause of evil. Even with a dozen ears and eyes, Shoji could barely see Hagakure, so she successfully kept him occupied while Ojiro struggled, and failed, to overcome Iida's extraordinary speed.

And then there was Kaminari and Jiro, who executed a terrifying defense against Sero and Kirishima. With Jiro tracking their passage through the building, Kaminari ambushed them at key chokepoints. But with Sero in charge of their maneuvering, carrying Kirishima as he swung through the halls, they were eventually able to evade Kaminari long enough to confront Jiro, whose costume channeled deafening soundwaves, and whose jacks were six-foot whips, skills only slightly mitigated by Kirishima's hardening Quirk. Eventually, Kaminari made the mistake of an indiscriminate blast of electricity, which left everyone else unconscious and him a drooling idiot, which…

Kaminari and Sero won. _Technically_.

But All Might used that fight as an example, explaining that disabling yourself to take out your opponents wasn't a good long-term strategy. Given Kaminari's state afterward, it was possible the shock had given him permanent brain damage, which _definitely_ couldn't be a good plan.

And then there was Kacchan and Shinsou trying to defend against Uraraka and Tokoyami.

"So," All Might said afterward. "I would like to hear your thoughts on that exercise. What did Bakugo and Shinsou do wrong?"

Kacchan, nursing a number of bruises from when the building had collapsed on them, glowered at the class in general, a silent threat, Midoriya knew, to keep their mouths shut. Tokoyami and Uraraka, a little better off (Tokoyami's Quirk, Dark Shadow, had absorbed the brunt of the force of the collapse), stood off to the side, Tokoyami leaning against the wall of the debriefing room looking cool, Uraraka tapping her fingers together, looking a little worried. It was pretty clear no one had _won_ , but Midoriya didn't think Uraraka had anything to be worried about. She hadn't saved Shinsou's _life_ , probably, but he would have been injured worse if she hadn't been able to hold up parts of the building.

At last, Iida raised his hand. "While villains do sometimes betray one another, by attacking his partner, Bakugo ensured their eventual loss."

Kacchan snarled, standing up and taking one step toward Iida only to run up against All Might's hand. "Yes, an excellent way to explain Bakugo's mistakes."

Yaoyorozu raised her hand. "Still, using your Quirk to take control of your ally against their will isn't a wise decision, either - among villains, Bakugo's rampage once he was freed is expected, and among them, might be reasonable."

" _Rampage_? That nerd deserved _worse_ for what he did to me!"

Midoriya winced; he'd never had that level of fury directed at _him_ , but it was unsurprising. The moment Kacchan's angry retort to Shinsou's suggestion they make a plan had stopped and the boy's face gone slack, Midoriya had known Kacchan would flip out when he got free.

"Well, yes. When Recovery Girl has finished with Shinsou, I will be discussing his performance. But although the result was...explosive, it was an important reminder. Even in a fight against villains, we have to keep in mind the effects of our Quirks, what sort of use might be crossing a line. Using a Quirk like Shinsou's on an ally against their will, outside of a life-threatening situation, is one of those lines."

"I'm gonna _kill_ him when he wakes up!" Kacchan snapped.

"That is _also_ one of those lines," All Might said, his free hand falling onto Kacchan's shoulder. "You are here to learn, Bakugo - your classmates are not villains."

Kacchan scowled, but was clearly aware he couldn't throw off All Might's hand, because he didn't keep going.

"Now-"

"Excuse me."

All Might glanced at Midoriya, smile returning in full force. "Yes, Midoriya?"

"Do you want to hear critique about the hero team, as well? Or just Kacchan's?"

All Might's eyes widened, just a little, but he nodded. "Certainly. This is a _training_ exercise, so any insight you have is welcome!"

"Well…" Midoriya glanced up at Uraraka, and took a breath. All Might was right; this was training, so he couldn't be afraid of hurting her feelings. "Once the heroes realized the villains were fighting each other, they should have mobilized to take advantage and capture them, or get the bomb out of the way. Treating this as an exercise, though, they didn't take into account the possible effects of the building's collapse on the surrounding area. The destruction of a lair, containing a dangerous bomb, can cause mass devastation in a wide area. Once it became inevitable that the building was going to be destroyed - Uraraka and Tokoyami should have been trying to shield the area around the building from the fallout."

All Might blinked once, before nodding. "You are right, Midoriya. In a real-world situation, heroes should always remain concerned about the well-being of bystanders. _However_ , in this situation, knowing there _were_ no bystanders, prioritizing the safety of one's partner is paramount. On that note, it is time for our final fight, with Midoriya and Todoroki as our villains, and with Yaoyorozu and Asui as our heroes."

Todoroki was silent as he and Midoriya carried their fake bomb into the building. He wasn't glaring at Midoriya, but his resolute disregard was frustrating in its own way. And while Kacchan and Shinsou had set the bar for this exercise as low as it could be, Midoriya didn't want to be another _example_ for today's class.

"Hey, Todoroki, we should plan-"

"I'll handle this myself."

"You said you're only going to use your ice; We should have a _plan_ in case we need more than that."

"I _don't need his fire_!" Todoroki snapped, his right hand frosting over, and his left steaming for just a moment. "And I don't need _yours_ , either. Stay out of my way and accept the win."

He sat in front of the bomb and gave Midoriya a narrow glare. "Stand in the corner unless you want to end up frozen to the floor."

Midoriya retreated to the corner (the one nearest the entrance to the room), but he didn't just wait for Todoroki to do all the work. Obviously, Todoroki wasn't going to provide fire...or any other support, but Midoriya wasn't going to write off the other student who got in on recommendations. Her Quirk had something to do with...creating, he recalled, but nothing she'd shown off much during the assessment. Asui, though, was more predictable, and as long as she could avoid Todoroki's ice-

A puff of frost from Todoroki was all the warning Midoriya got before ice spread across the floor in a rush, climbing up the walls and out into the hall. He heard a pair of distant yelps, and when Midoriya turned to Todoroki, the other boy just stared back. He wasn't even smiling, barely looked like he cared how _impressive_ what he'd just done was.

"It's over," Todoroki said flatly.

Midoriya shrugged, and, shivering a little, snapped his fingers to get some warmth along his arms. Todoroki started at the sound, and when he saw Midoriya's hands engulfed in flames, glared at him.

Midoriya's patience snapped. "Why don't you like me?" he demanded.

"I don't know you," Todoroki replied, voice flat. _Cold_.

"You're sure acting like you do, the way you glare at me - at least Kacchan lets me know what about me irritates him!"

Todoroki gave Midoriya a confused look, eyes wide, giving Midoriya a clear look at Todoroki's one grey eye and one turquoise one. "Who?"

Midoriya huffed. "It doesn't matter. Didn't you hear All Might after Kacchan's fight with Shinsou?"

"I'm not going to attack you."

"That's not-" A quiet sound drew Midoriya's attention and he turned on his heel just as Asui leapt through the doorway at him. She was wearing a heavy coat and leggings, something there was no way she'd brought with her to class. Midoriya raised one arm, only for Asui to open her mouth to snap out her tongue at him; her tongue entangled his legs, sending him stumbling forward as she landed behind him and tugged back.

Todoroki stretched out his right hand toward Asui, and Midoriya winced in sympathy-

A high-pressure blast of flame erupted from the now-open doorway, intercepting Todoroki's ice and splitting its path so it missed Asui. Yaoyorozu, dressed in insulated pants and an open coat, traced her _flamethrower_ across the room, cracking pillars and spikes of ice with the pressurized flames, and splattering the flaming liquid across the room, fire that died relatively quickly but left patches of unfrozen ground.

Midoriya slapped his palms on his thighs, sending the flames enveloping his hands down his legs and forcing Asui to retract her tongue and retreat before the flames burned her tongue. He rolled up to see Todoroki erect a massive wall of ice between him and Yaoyorozu. It was solid, but although it didn't shatter, or even crack, under the pressure of Yaoyorozu's flamethrower, flaming liquid splashed from the impact site, and Midoriya saw a subtle shift in the wall. It wouldn't last forever, and while Todoroki was keeping Yaoyorozu busy trying to take down the wall, Midoriya had to fight Asui.

Midoriya snapped his fingers and swung a flaming hand at Asui as she hopped back in, but even on a surface of melting ice she was dextrous, and kept just ahead of Midoriya.

But she was avoiding the still-frozen patches, and that made her predictable enough that Midoriya caught up with her; rather than hit her, though, he grabbed at her coat, finding the material igniting about as easily as Yagi-sensei's shirt. Asui let out a startled 'ribbit' and threw the coat off, where it fell, smoldering, against the ice. Midoriya grabbed the capture tape from his pocket and extinguished a hand as he reached for Asui.

Except then Yaoyorozu turned and chucked something at Midoriya. He was committed to his jump and couldn't dodge, so the projectile, a thin membrane in the shape of a ball, hit him, dousing him in a foul-smelling liquid. In the distraction, Midoriya's fire had gone out, but when he tried to snap his fingers, they slid uselessly against each other, and he realized it was some sort of grease-

Todoroki's wall fell apart with a deafening crack and there he was, eyes wide in shock as Yaoyorozu turned her flamethrower toward him. Midoriya grimaced and scrambled up, charging directly into the flame stream. Yaoyorozu made a startled sound a moment before the flaming liquid washed over Midoriya and the flame caught, stayed, and he turned back toward her, cloaked entirely in flame, as he'd only done two or three times in the past year. Yaoyorozu's eyes widened, and Midoriya could see Asui crouched, shivering but unmoving, several meters away. He hadn't done this before, Midoriya realized. They hadn't seen him fully enshrouded.

He turned his head to look back at Todoroki. "Cover me or keep them away from the bomb; I'll take care of this-"

Midoriya didn't get a chance to finish, because a moment later, his whole body was encased in ice, close enough to his skin that the flame separated and dissipated. Todoroki's eyes were wide, wild, at least until Asui tackled him, binding his hands behind him. Yaoyorozu ambled past Midoriya and Todoroki's bound form, turning back just as she placed her palm on the bomb.

"The heroes win!"

\---

Endeavor was abroad, would be until the next week, so once Todoroki avoided Fuyumi, it was a straight shot to his room, where would be mostly undisturbed. He dropped his bag next to the door and himself next to his desk. He didn't need to look at All Might's analysis of his performance during the battle test, so he let the stupid piece of paper stay in his bag.

The analysis was not kind - 'overbearing', 'overconfident', 'refusing to make use of available resources' - it went on.

It touched only obliquely on the most embarrassing and unforgivable moment of the exercise, warning Todoroki to be cautious of his use of area-effect Quirks near allies who might be vulnerable to them.

It wasn't a blistering denunciation of his decision to use his Quirk to attack his teammate, as Shinsou's and Bakugo's evaluations were certain to be, but only, Todoroki guessed, because All Might didn't believe Endeavor's son would have been as irresponsible as...'Kacchan'.

Midoriya, he was certain, knew Todoroki had not accidentally caught him with his ice. Asui had been too cold to notice, but Yaoyorozu had been close, and was intelligent. She might have noticed.

He thought (hoped) none of them understood why he'd done it.

He'd been uncomfortably aware of Midoriya since the first time he'd heard a 'snap' and seen flames leap to envelop Midoriya's hand. It wasn't anything nearly as impressive as what Endeavor could do, but Todoroki had long ago trained himself to notice the tiniest spark, to notice even the hint of smoke or soot (it was Fuyumi's job to ensure their home never smelled of smoke, so the scent was a reliable way to identify Endeavor's presence). So he couldn't _ignore_ Midoriya, not without abandoning instincts he'd relied on for years. Only the fact that Midoriya was nowhere near as powerful as Endeavor, that he couldn't even create fire himself (the 'snap' was from his uniform's gloves, a tool as necessary as Aoyama's belt, that he used to generate sparks), allowed Todoroki some peace.

Still, from the looks Todoroki had caught Midoriya giving him, Midoriya was aware of Todoroki's discomfort.

Todoroki was certain he would have been able to get over it and quietly ignore Midoriya for the rest of their careers if…

If Midoriya's Quirk hadn't been what it was.

If, refusing to accept Todoroki's promise that he could protect the bomb without _any_ fire, Midoriya hadn't intercepted Yaoyorozu, hadn't let the flames engulf him.

Hadn't stood there, wreathed in flames, looking back at Todoroki, looking _down_ at him, and snapped, "I'll take care of this."

That moment, that sight, those words, promised Todoroki would have to weather additional lessons, corrections of his behavior. Endeavor had heard Todoroki's mother crying about Todoroki once, and promised her he'd 'take care of it', giving Todoroki that cool, disdainful glare.

If Midoriya had been taller, broader, had actually looked anything like Endeavor, Todoroki wouldn't have been able to strike back. But he'd seen a flash of an expression, a tone, within a mantle of flames, and had _panicked_.

If that was going to happen every time Midoriya went all out, Todoroki was going to need to find a way to get over it, and _quickly_. And if Midoriya became a Pro…

With a wordless cry, Todoroki threw himself to his bag, tearing it open to find the evaluation, which he burned to ash with his left side, destroying the evidence of his weakness, so his father would never see it, so _Todoroki_ wouldn't have to remember it existed.

\---

Toshinori answered his phone without checking it; if he'd seen the unfamiliar number, he wouldn't have, and that would have been the greatest mistake of his life.

"Hello?"

"Is this All Might?" The voice, cool and level, was unfamiliar to Toshinori. A telemarketer?

"Who is calling? How did you get this number?"

"That's not really important at the moment. My name is Shishou Kaisa, and there's something important I need to tell you."

There was an edge to her voice at that point. Concern. And Toshinori could no more have ignored that tone than he could have ignored the sight of a villain.

"What is it?"

"You left All for One for dead. That was a mistake. Because someone with his Quirk is still out there."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, props to incognitophenomenon, who has been enthusiastically listening to my thoughts for this and helping tighten up the plot.
> 
> -
> 
> Shisou Kaisa  
> Quirk: Encyclopedia  
> Kaisa is capable of remembering anything she has read. However, in order to locate the information, she has to query her memory and sort through the data that matches the query she makes. It can take a while, but as a trained librarian, she has a lot of practice looking up obscure information!


	3. Difficulty Spike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rescue training becomes a battle with real villains, and Todoroki tries to hold it all together.

Midoriya stared blankly at the blackboard, which showed _two tally marks_ under his name. _Two_ other people wanted him for class representative, which was two more than _Kacchan_ ("Who the fuck would vote for Deku?" he demanded). It was _one_ less than Yaoyorozu (presuming, along with Midoriya's vote for her, she'd voted for herself). He reached up to his chest, which felt uncomfortably tight, swiping at watering eyes. _Fuck_. He shouldn't cry here.

"Well!" Iida, who'd proposed the election, stammered, "It looks like our class representative will be Yaoyorozu."

It occurred to Midoriya, as Yaoyorozu took her place at the front of the room, that if he'd voted for himself, he and Yaoyorozu would be _tied for first_.

She took a moment to compose herself before looking the class over. "I appreciate the confidence you have placed in me. I will do my best to live up to your expectations and be an effective representative. However!" She glanced at Aizawa-sensei, who could be relied upon to be unconscious for at least another five minutes. "We need a vice-president."

"Midoriya-kun is the only other person with multiple votes," Shinsou drawled.

"Fuck if I'm gonna be in a class with _Deku_ running things," Bakugo snarled.

"I hope you aren't about to suggest _yourself_ as an alternative."

"And _why not_?" Bakugo roared. Shinsou raised an eyebrow at Bakugo, whose scowl deepened, if possible.

"That attitude isn't going to impress _anyone_ on the staff, much less anyone you have to deal with _outside_ the class."

"More impressive than _you_ , Eye-bags."

"Hey!" Everyone, even _Bakugo_ , swiveled around to Iida, who stood tall, arms out, having clearly just chopped them down to catch attention. His eyes were all but blazing, fierce. "We are not here to argue; we are here to come together as classmates, as allies. We all agree that Yaoyorozu is a fine choice for president." Midoriya nodded, and saw agreement, with varying levels of enthusiasm, all around the classroom. "So we should trust _her_ to select a vice-president."

"I-" Yaoyorozu took a hurried step back. "I thought everyone wanted to _vote_. I don't think-"

"Think of it as your first official act as our representative!" Uraraka offered. 

"Yeah!" Kirishima agreed with an upward punch of his fist. "Let's see some decisive leadership from our 1-A representative!"

"Well…" Yaoyorozu glanced to Midoriya, and he felt a flare of - something. Being a class officer wasn't the sort of duty that had excited him before, but being a representative at U.A. would attract attention a hero trainee needed to build a career around. On the other hand, Midoriya didn't need one more reason to earn Bakugo's ire. And if he were being honest, the thought of helping Yaoyorozu represent their class was a little intimidating.

Yaoyorozu nodded once, a sharp movement. "Iida, then."

"He didn't even get any _votes_!" Ashido retorted.

"Which is exactly the reason I want him - Iida is one of the few people in the class who didn't vote for themselves. He looked to the good of the class over his own self-promotion." Yaoyorozu folded her arms in front of her and offered Ashido a narrow smirk. "In any case, you agreed it's my decision, however I got to it."

"I…" Iida had gone pale, hands gripping the edge of his desk. "Ashido is right - I didn't get any votes-"

" _You_ agreed to abide by my decision, too, didn't you?" Yaoyorozu asked. "So I'm afraid you're stuck with it."

"Are we done here?" Yaoyorozu, for her credit, didn't flinch when Aizawa-sensei appeared behind her.

"Yes." She waved to Iida. "Iida will be my vice-president-"

"Great. Now that _that's_ over, we can get some real work done."

Midoriya didn't take in much of the next few classes; he found himself a little occupied with the question of who had voted for him. There were a few people who obviously _hadn't_ (one, really). And that left the question if it was someone who actually liked Midoriya, or someone who'd been impressed by him being ambushed by his own teammate. The people who _liked_ him left three possibilities - Iida, Shinsou, and Uraraka, _none_ of whom got any votes. It was strange, imagining having friends who...had faith in him. Didn't mind putting him in front of them. Midoriya had to blink away tears a few times before they broke for lunch, but had more or less composed himself when he met Iida, Shinsou, and Uraraka for lunch.

Lunch had become a little strained. Uraraka seemed to do her best to ignore Shinsou, clearly still hurt or angry at him. Midoriya tried his best to keep things smoothed over; the topic of Iida's unexpected vice presidentship managed some of that, as Iida flushed under Uraraka's and Midoriya's congratulations. Shinsou merely advised Iida not to fuck up, which Midoriya guessed was his way of dealing with the disappointment of his own chosen candidate (Midoriya?) losing.

Aizawa-sensi was there to greet them for Foundational Hero Studies. "Suit up and head outside." 

Midoriya didn't join the few students who peppered Aizawa-sensei with questions; he'd learned it wasn't worth the effort. Surreptitiously checking his phone, Midoriya saw a series of alerts about All Might's morning heroics, suggesting one possible answer to the questions his classmates had about All Might's absence. He almost certainly didn't have enough time left in his bulked-up form to supervise an entire class. 

Still, as a result of leaving rather than trying to demand answers from Aizawa-sensei, Midoriya was one of the first out to the bus waiting in front of the main building, with Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, Hagakure, and Yaoyorozu. He shifted to keep Uraraka and Iida between him and Todoroki, still uncertain if he should demand an explanation, an apology, or just ignore whatever had gone on in battle training. If he were sure he could talk to Todoroki without getting yelled at, he might try getting an...explanation, if not an apology. They might have to work together some day, making figuring out how to avoid his own colleague freezing him in place during a life and death situation a good goal.

But he hadn't figured out how to approach the other boy before the rest of the class arrived in a chattering crowd, boarded the bus, and settled - and Midoriya somehow ended up sitting across from Todoroki, who sat, face impassive, arms crossed across his chest. That left Midoriya's only other choice for conversation Asui, who aside from having beaten him and Todoroki in the combat training, he hadn't seen much of.

"So, Asui-"

"Call me Tsu," she said with a smile.

"T - Tsu. You were pretty good in the battle training."

Tsuyu waved a dismissive hand at Midoriya. "Yaoyorozu-chan came up with that plan - well, getting through Todoroki's ice, anyway."

"But you were pretty fast. If you weren't trying so hard to avoid the ice, you might have gotten me. Your Quirk is-"

"Frog," she replied. "Pretty much anything a frog can do, I can do. Jump, swim, catch things with my tongue-"

"Hallucinogenic sweat?"

"Well, no." Tsu tapped her chin. "It makes people a little itchy. And what about you? We all thought you just did that - hand thing."

Midoriya shook his head. "I can do my whole body. If I start with a spark, it takes a while, but if someone's spraying me with a flame-thrower-"

"You do the whole Human Torch thing."

"Well, I can't _fly_ ," Midoriya corrected.

"Still - can you control it? You can do a really imposing fire silhouette, like Endeavor-"

" _Don't_."

Midoriya jerked his head up to see Todoroki glaring at Tsu.

"Leave her alone; we were just talking!"

Todoroki huffed. " _Don't_ try to be like Endeavor."

"Well, obviously Midoriya-chan doesn't want to be like the _Number 2_ hero," Tsu mused.

Which was true (All Might was fading, and someone had to take his place), but Midoriya found himself holding his breath. Used to Kacchan's explosive fury, he knew the moment before someone cracked, turning a conversation into a fight. Insulting someone's father - their famous, Pro hero father, was bound to upset someone who'd attacked Midoriya on no provocation whatsoever.

The silence in their corner of the bus stretched on for a long moment, before Midoriya couldn't keep it up, and he exhaled. Todoroki snapped his gaze at Midoriya, then back at Tsu. He sat back and shook his head. "If you want to be Number One, don't worry about Endeavor." _Worry about me_ went unspoken, but it settled over Tsu and Midoriya, dampening their enthusiasm, at least until they arrived at a massive, sprawling dome set apart from the other buildings of U.A. Midoriya felt a shiver of excitement - this looked like another training exercise, and, despite the outcome of the last one, he was eager to experience another.

 _Everyone_ , it seemed, felt the same way, as they piled out of the bus when it stopped, to meet a figure dressed in a space suit at the entrance to the dome.

"Greetings!"

"Oh my gosh," Tsu cheered next to Midoriya, "It's the Rescue Hero, Thirteen!"

And it was; the presence of the Space Hero Thirteen gave a hint to the purpose of the day's exercise. Thirteen waved them toward the entrance of the dome. 

"Welcome," they (some people were inordinately concerned about what gender Thirteen was - it was clear if they had one they considered it immaterial to their personal or professional life) announced, "to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint! This massive complex will give you an opportunity, over your three years here, to experience as many disaster scenarios as I, and your other teachers, have. After all, fighting villains is only part of the work of a hero - natural disasters are as much a threat to the safety of the world as villains. So come on, and we'll take a look at where you'll be working today."

Tsu was moving with a bounce in her step (she had a frog Quirk, but it was still noticeable). "I want to become a rescue hero myself, you know. Heroes that can specialize in different types of terrain really help there."

It was strange to realize that different people...had different ideas about what sort of hero they would be. Midoriya had always wanted to be like All Might - a smiling face to stand strong and give people hope. Other people...even those who respected All Might...might see different heroes as their examples. Thirteen for Asui. Endeavor for Todoroki, Midoriya guessed.

Once inside, standing at the plaza looking over the many zones in the USJ, Thirteen turned to them, hands raised. "Most of you have come to U.A. having learned how to use your Quirks to fight. But in the USJ, you will learn to use your Quirks to save lives - against foes that cannot be subdued, only avoided or turned aside."

"Foes that cannot be subdued? An apt description, though I think I'm offended if you think you can _avoid_ me." Something - a cloud or shadow - appeared in the central plaza of the USJ, and from it stepped...dozens of people, chief among them a slender, almost emaciated person, whose face was covered by a strange, disembodied hand, with similar hands grasping down along their arms. 

"This is a closed practice session," Aizawa-sensei said, voice even. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Closed…" The person with the hand over their face tilted their head. One of their companions, a hulking person with an exposed brain and a toothy beak, took a step forward; the person held their arm in the way, and their companion paused. "These children are meant to be heroes, aren't they? Paid by the government to keep people safe? I should think that makes their training a matter of public interest. You've got such a magnificent fence to keep people out, though. I wonder what happens here that you don't want the public to know about."

"I'm going to ask you and your friends to leave _again_ ," Aizawa-sensei repeated.

The leader chuckled. "But you're _training_! Against fake earthquakes and simulated floods." They sighed, letting their hand drop. "I always hated tutorial levels. Let's go - it's time for a wake-up call." The people around him stepped forward, weapons appearing in empty hands. "A little welcome to our low-level heroes from the League of Villains."

"League of-"

"The intrusion alarm aren't going off," Aizawa-sensei muttered. "Thirteen?"

"Some sort of jamming Quirk," Thirteen agreed. "Can you handle them?"

"I'm going to have to." Aizawa-sensei leapt forward, the strips of cloth making up his scarf snapping out. He ensnared one villain immediately, using them to sweep a path through the others. There were shouts of surprise as he used his Quirk to shut down villains' Quirks at key moments, a delicate dance of martial arts, the use of his capture cloth, and his Quirk. People thought of Eraserhead as a lesser hero than the flashier fighters, but this was proof that you didn't become a Pro, a teacher at U.A., without real skills to back you up.

"Come on!" Thirteen called, waving the class back toward the entrance. Midoriya saw other students pause, staring at Aizawa-sensei, the villains, the fight. Midoriya grabbed Shinsou's arm and tugged him away from the scene. It was, Midoriya guessed, an inspiration for someone with a noncombatant Quirk like Shinsou's to see Aizawa-sensei holding his own fighting without a Quirk enhancing his abilities.

"Oh, you're not getting away." The black mist appeared between Thirteen, the class, and the exit, yellow slits like eyes gleaming from within. "Shigaraki wants you all here to see this."

"The fuck if we'll let some gasbag like you keep us here!" Bakugo leapt at the glowing yellow eyes, Kirishima only a little behind him, one hand sparking, the other hardened into a spiked fist. Both Kirishima's fist and Bakugo's explosion passed harmlessly through the mist, which raced around the entire class, closing up ahead of them, and Midoriya realized in a shocked moment they were facing someone with a _teleportation Quirk_.

But it was a moment too late to do _anything_ about it, because the mist spiraled in and the world went black.

\---

Dark Shadow caught his beak around a streetlamp as Tokoyami fell, slowing his descent and allowing him to land safely on the rain-soaked street. Wind whipped up Tokoyami's cloak as rain fell in a sideways torrent. He took a quick glance around him as Dark Shadow ventured a little further afield. It had been early afternoon when the villains had appeared, so the sudden darkness had Dark Shadow relishing the surge of strength.

"Hey." Dark Shadow was suddenly close, circled around Tokoyami protectively. "There's villains out there. Koda, too."

"Show me."

Tokoyami followed Dark Shadow a street to the right, where Koda was huddled down, muttering to a sparrow.

“Koda! Are you alright? Dark Shadow has informed me we are beset by villains.”

Koda nodded hurriedly before drawing a wide circle with his hands. They truly _were_ surrounded, then.

“Dark Shadow, are there any other allies nearby?”

“I don’t think so.” Dark Shadow, who’d been edging further away, the mundane darkness fusing with the darkness of Tokoyami’s own soul to leave him powerful, but wild.

“Koda, I must request you stay by me." Koda did, but he gave Tokoyami a careful look as well. "Dark Shadow is a creature of the night, and so is weakened by light, and empowered by darkness. A dark environment such as this will increase his strength greatly, but also leave him aggressive, and difficult to control.” Koda’s expression was puzzled, so Tokoyami explained further. “I do not know which of those villains are here to vanquish us, but they will find Dark Shadow a formidable obstacle to surmount.”

“Fumi?” Dark Shadow’s voice was deepening, and held a sharp edge to it.

“Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war,” Tokoyami muttered, and Dark Shadow exploded out into the main streets with a delighted cry.

—-

Thirteen scanned the students left behind after the warp villain’s attack. Sero, Sato, Iida, Shoji, and Ashido. Losing three-quarters of their class in the first lesson was not ideal, but you didn’t become a rescue hero unless you had learned to set aside your regret at those you couldn't save and focus on those who you still might be able to.

Thirteen’s other students were beyond their reach for the moment, and Thirteen wasn't certain they could defeat the warp villain.

(And they couldn’t be certain that was the villain’s only Quirk, not if All For One had spent five more years pushing their Quirk’s limits.)

“Are you worried, Thirteen?”

They were, but a rescue hero had to remain calm under pressure, more than any other hero. They glanced to their students, evaluating them in an instant. Thirteen had a plan, but they needed their students to understand without saying it.

“This is an important lesson,” Thirteen said instead. “And the hardest for many aspiring heroes to learn. Sometimes, there is a fight you can’t win...not alone. Sometimes you have to leave people behind, people in _real danger_ , because the best heroes know when to seek help themselves. Sometimes that is the most heroic, the most responsible decision.”

Thirteen had no time to see if anyone (if Iida) had understood, as they opened the vents in their suit and activated their Quirk. 

The warp villain let out a startled cry, bracing themselves against...something, as Thirteen’s Black Hole pulled at them. There was a collar or something like it in the dark mist, and Thirteen turned their hand toward that (the villain’s physical form?).

It was Thirteen’s turn to cry out in shock as they felt an irresistible pull against the back of their suit. They stopped their Quirk almost immediately, but the damage had been done. The suit wasn’t Thirteen’s body, exactly, but damaging it was...not good for them. They fell forward, knowing as they assessed the damage that without Recovery Girl’s intervention, it would kill them.

Of course, they might all be dead before then anyway.

Except…

A strip of white ensnared the villain’s collar, jerking them sideways, low enough that half a dozen arms could grab it and slam them into the ground. Mist poured around the villain, scattering Sero and Shoji as they turned, just in time to see Sato and Iida pry the front doors open to allow Iida to escape the trap of the USJ and get them what they so sorely needed:

Backup.

—-

Kirishima was falling. Spinning a little uncontrollably, but he spread out his arms steadying himself a little, enough to see where he was falling, at least.

A small lake was spread out below him. Which was better than a lot of options, Kirishima guessed.

And then someone grabbed his arm and a violent force threw him sideways. Kirishima looked to his right, startled; Bakugo, face twisted into an intense glare, was using his free hand to direct them with rapid-fire explosions.

"What're you doing, dude?"

"You wanna break every fucking bone in your body?" Bakugo snapped.

"Um...no?"

"Then shut the fuck up and let me drop us somewhere at _less_ than terminal velocity."

Kirishima waved downward at the lake, which was looking larger now. "We're over the _lake_."

"If I spend my last moments in the company of someone stupider than _Deku_ , I'm gonna hurl," Bakugo growled, jetting them another five meters to the right. There was something near the center of the lake - a platform or boat settled in the water, and it seemed to be the target of Bakugo's fall.

"Dude?"

"I said shut up and let me _concentrate_!" Bakugo snapped. "Or do you want to belly flop at 50 meters a second?"

...Oh.

"Well, I can harden myself up, so it shouldn't be much problem."

"Well I _can't_ , so unless you've been packing wings you forgot to mention, act like ballast and _shut up_!"

As one of Kirishima's goals as a hero was never actually getting someone killed, he shut his mouth and tried to assess their surroundings as Bakugo navigated them toward the boat while using irregular explosions to slow their descent. The sight of an immensely high dome above them suggested they hadn't actually left the USJ complex, but were plummeting toward the Flood Zone. The plaza looked less crowded than it had when all the villains were gathered there; Kirishima felt his stomach churn anxiously.

"Bakugo, I think-"

"Why the fuck do you think I'm aiming for the boat, instead of the shore?" Bakugo demanded, as he tossed Kirishima at the deck of the boat with barely enough time for Kirishima to harden to weather the fall. Bakugo landed, not lightly, but easily, before rising up to glower at the water around the boat, where a dozen or more villains, likely all at home in the water, surrounded them. "I'm not running. If those fuckers think we'll be easy pickings…" He leveled one arm at the surface of the lake, squinting to aim at the densest gathering of villains, "They can go straight to _Hell_!"

\---

Shinsou picked himself up from the pile of rubble he'd fallen on; he'd rolled on landing, which had _softened_ the force of his fall, which was probably why, despite his aching everything, nothing was actually _broken_.

But Shinsou couldn't afford to sit around cataloguing his bruises, not with the League of Villains out there. Shinsou had never heard of it, making it a new group, or something the government had suppressed knowledge of. He wasn't certain which was worse - he'd seen names buried in the depths of forums most people who wanted to be heroes didn't frequent. The Shinigami, the Nine Wings, _All For One_...

Something new might be better than something people on the darkest corners of the web didn't dare speak of in more than oblique whispers.

Or it might be much, much worse.

The ruins of a city district surrounding Shinsou suggested things were 'worse'.

Something hit the rubble nearby; Shinsou spun, raising his fists, heart thudding in his chest at the thought of a fight. He was outclassed by people who could use their Quirks to augment their combat skills, who'd trained with them for years. He wasn't Aizawa-sensei, who'd taken those deficiencies and - _erased_ them.

"Hey, Shinsou-chan."

Shinsou's attacker was a figure in green and black perched on the rubble above him, eyes wide, almost unfocused.

"Asu - Tsu? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Tsu replied. "I mean, not you _specifically_ , but anyone else who might have gotten caught up in that villain's warp thing." She looked toward the sky, a frown flashing across her face. "We need as many people as we can find before we head back to the plaza."

"Back to - with that warp Quirk, we could be _anywhere_!"

Tsu shrugged. "True. But we're still in the USJ." She pointed at the sky, where, through the smoke, Shinsou could see the metal plates of one of the USJ domes. "And-" She snapped her tongue out, lashing around the leg of a sword-wielding villain a dozen meters away and tugging, knocking them over. "We've got company."

She grabbed Shinsou and leapt away from the scene before the villain could recover, landing heavily on the roof of a building that immediately shifted under their combined weight. "Whoops!" She hopped again, landing on another building that didn't move. "Sorry. I can find a stable rock in the middle of any body of water, but this place is a bit of a puzzle."

"How many villains do you think are in here with us?" Shinsou asked.

"How many of our friends do you think are in here?" Tsu replied.

"There are six specific environments built into the USJ - presuming there are no specific targets among our classmates, the simplest way to get us out of the way is a random distribution of three and one-third students between the zones. So somewhere between one and two."

"That's some good thinking, Shinsou-chan. Like Midoriya, but less wordy."

"Well." Shinsou tried to ignore the warmth in his cheeks at the compliment. "Unless there was a specific plan, there's no way of knowing who's in here with us."

" _Down_!" Tsu tackled Shinsou as a hail of bullets passed over their heads. Crouched over him, Tsu peered up cautiously.

"If the alarms were working, Snipe would be here," Shinsou said, morose.

"Well, we're going to have to hold down the fort until they get here. Look, I know you're not great in a fight, but is there anything you _can_ do?"

Tsu might as well have punched Shinsou in the stomach. He'd been _trying_ , training until he collapsed every day after classes, but he was _useless_. He might as well give up.

...

Shinsou shoved Tsu off him, rolled over, and raised a hand. "Can we just surrender?"

" _Shinsou_!" Tsu hissed; he ignored the fury, the disappointment in her voice, and stood up. Tellingly, no one shot at him.

"Look, I promise we won't make any trouble. Please?"

There was silence; Shinsou thought he heard muttering, and then a shout of, "Yeah, you and your friends just put your hands up and come over here, and no funny business."

There was the sound of a gunshot, and Shinsou, despite himself, smiled. It wasn't honorable, nice, or even very good, what he'd done. But it was well done. He turned to Tsu. "Come on; it won't take long for something to snap him out of it, and they won't fall for that again, but it'll give us some time to scout."

"What…" Tsu looked over toward the noises as there was another gunshot and the sound of metal against metal, and her eyes widened, if possible. "You used your Quirk on him."

"It's what they're training us to do, isn't it?" Shinsou demanded, bracing himself for Tsu's inevitable disgust, for her to start hesitating every time he spoke to her. They hadn't thought about it, really, when he'd used it on Bakugo, who none of them liked anyway. But to see it used to make a man turn his gun on his allies was bound to make Tsu start to think what Shinsou's peers had decided years ago.

"Well, I think they'll start teaching us about ethics eventually," Tsu replied, "but until then, I suppose anyone trying to kill us is fair game."

"Good," Shinsou said, setting aside the clench of his chest until sometime when his life wasn't in immediate danger. "Now let's get moving. I ordered them not to shoot either of us, so if they do, they've probably broken free." He allowed himself a moment of hope that he was right the villain hadn't been able to see any of their classmates; Shinsou's command had been fairly indiscriminate.

Prioritizing locations that weren't easily visible from the heights, it took only a few minutes to find Uraraka, or at least the echo of her voice from within the hollow of two collapsed buildings.

"Are you alright, Uraraka-chan?"

"Tsu? Is that you?"

"Shinsou-chan's here, too." There was a distant gunshot, a pained cry, and then a voice that sounded a lot like the one that had responded to Shinsou.

"We're out of time," Shinsou announced. "Tsu, get that rubble off of Uraraka-"

" _No_!" Uraraka snapped.

Shinsou felt a combination of irritation and fear, aware of the likely _furious_ villain hunting him down. "We don't have time for your - pride or hurt feelings or whatever. If you don't want me helping you-"

"It's not that." Uraraka's voice was strained. "I've been...holding up some...load-bearing walls for a while now, and if you move things carelessly they're probably going to fall on me."

Tsu glanced at Shinsou, biting her lip. "Shinsou-chan…"

He shook his head; if he had an hour, he might be able to guess how to move the rubble without collapsing it on Uraraka. But between Uraraka's waning stamina and the villains coming for them, they didn't have that sort of time.

"No, it's alright! Can you describe what it looks like from out there?"

"...Why?"

"My parents are in construction," Uraraka replied. "And I studied it a lot when I was younger - I was going to get licensed and help out with the business. So if you tell me what it looks like, I think I can figure out how to get out of here."

"We...might not have time for that," Tsu said, glancing toward where the villains had been gathered earlier.

"No, wait. Uraraka. What do you know about… _de_ construction?"

When the villains arrived, it was to an empty square, with Uraraka's voice calling plaintively from within the collapsed buildings. The villain who Shinsou had controlled, a squat person with a heavy gait, a meter-long gun, and telescopic eyes, raised a hand. 

"Don't say anything. I bet it's that kid doing an impression or something."

Concealed halfway up a building on the opposite end of the square, Shinsou mouthed that phrase to himself. He'd always considered one of the flaws of his Quirk how easy it was to circumvent once you knew the trick. Impersonations, though...

"Just because you let a kid get the drop on you doesn't mean they're all like that. They're _first years_." A villain whose arms looked something like chainsaws stepped up next to the sniper. "Besides, you remember what Shigaraki said - we'll have a lot better chance of killing All Might if we've got hostages."

Shinsou tensed; it was an impossible thought, but a chilling one all the same. All Might was _human_ , probably, but killing him…

Well, to a villain, it was probably worth breaking into the world's most secure educational institution for.

"Hey, kid! Shut up! You got two choices - we can get you out and you can come be a hostage, or we can drop this building the _rest_ of the way on you."

"I - I'll come along. I don't want to die in here!"

"That's a good girl. Come on - I need help moving this."

It took three out of the five of them to move the heavy section of wall mostly blocking access to where Uraraka and Tsu were crouched against a carefully-balanced pillar of stone, metal and glass, arranged so the slightest disturbance would cause...maybe a hundred tons of rubble to fall on anyone unlucky enough to be standing where the sniper and their allies were standing.

The collapse took out four of them while Tsu and Uraraka escaped out the back, before Uraraka, who had clearly learned enough about physics in her lifetime to understand what happened when you removed an object's weight without changing its mass, threw an I-beam at the fifth.

Uraraka had said it so matter-of-factly, about her parents' work. That she'd wanted to join them. Such a person, well. They'd be sensitive to what a hard-working hero could earn.

It meant Shinsou probably owed her an apology.

"Hands up, kid. And don't say anything - we all saw what you did earlier." A humanoid form flickered into sight in the corner of Shinsou's eye - a camouflage Quirk, Shinsou guessed.

Shinsou raised his hands slowly, trying to judge if he could take the camouflage villain. Maybe - Aizawa-sensei aside, ambush Quirks didn't lead to people developing combat skills useful in a straight-up fight (he needed to fix that, and _soon_ ).

"Heads up!"

Once, in third grade, one of Shinsou's classmates had dropped a newt on his head. He hadn't enjoyed the experience at all.

Being hit in the face with Asui Tsuyu probably wasn't a comparable experience, but it couldn't possibly be pleasant.

"So," Shinsou said as they trudged toward the exit of the collapsed city, "Uraraka. I've been thinking lately."

"Yes, thank you for helping save my life. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"No, I...the pursuit of wealth for its own sake, or the power it provides, is...contemptible. But the reason for which one seeks wealth...matters. And you have to do...a lot of good to become wealthy as a hero. You have to risk your life more than _many_ other paths to wealth require."

"Shinsou…?"

Shinsou took a deep breath. "I may have said things that made you believe I don't respect you. I may have been...hasty, and too rigid. You have nothing to prove, except to yourself, but…"

Uraraka turned and gave Shirou a bright smile - perhaps the first real smile she'd given him. "I get it, Shinsou-kun. Thanks." She grabbed his and Tsu's wrists and ran toward the zone's exit. "You're gonna make a pretty good hero yourself - once you learn to stop mind-controlling people just for pissing you off."

Tsu snickered when Shinsou flushed. He was still certain any of them would have done the same, but until he had evidence to prove it, he'd have to deal with the jokes.

\---

"Pardon?" Aoyama demanded, certain he'd misheard.

"Shoot me," Hagakure repeated. "With however much juice you can get out of your navel."

"Cherie-"

"I don't have time to explain, Aoyama-kun - just _shoot me with everything you've got_!"

And Aoyama was frightened - there were villains all over the collapsed hillside, outnumbering him and Hagakure - an invisible girl and a boy who couldn't use his Quirk for more than a moment at a time. He was a hero meant for the spotlight, not dying in a _training scenario_.

So any idea, however wild, however _absolutely insane_ , was worth a chance.

"Then prepare yourself, Mademoiselle." Aoyama took a breath, steadied himself, and shot his Navel Laser at Hagakure (well, the space between her gloves; he hoped it was good enough).

The laser struck Hagakure and-

 _Split_.

Refracted. Like a disco ball, the light scattered, blasting half the villains in one shot.

"You got any more of that in you, Aoyama?"

"Y - yes! I always have the stamina for a repeat performance!"

Aoyama hadn't seen Hagakure's face - he was sure no one had in the last ten years. But he could imagine her smile. "Let's light these fuckers up."

\---

"Todoroki, are you okay? Todoroki? Please say something. _Please_ be okay!"

Midoriya sounded...worried (he sounded like he was going to cry). It was strange. Todoroki wasn't certain anyone had ever sounded like that worrying about him. Certainly no one in recent memory.

Todoroki opened his eyes and-

Midoriya was framed in fire, flames licking along the edge of his silhouette.

Todoroki bolted upward, scrambling away from Midoriya. This didn't prove to be an improvement, because he backed up against something uncomfortably warm (some days he couldn't bring himself to drink hot tea, chilling it in the cup before he could stomach it). But here, he could see the flames weren't enveloping Midoriya, not like they had during training, not like they did Endeavor.

It was just…

 _Everything_ was on fire. The world around them was a raging inferno, flames crawling up buildings, along the ground, filling the air with heat, the lungs with smoke-

Todoroki choked, fighting down the urge to vomit. He couldn't show weakness, even if he could barely stand. He struggled to his feet, waving away Midoriya's hand. "Where are we?"

"The Conflagration Zone of the USJ - I don't think that teleporting villain can send people very far, although that could be a bluff. Or maybe teleporting all those villains tired him out - it's possible he wanted-"

"Midiroya, this is _not_ the time," another voice said from off to the side, and Midoriya, thankfully, shut up. Todoroki wasn't certain if he were capable of following Midoriya's rambling, not with the quick beat of anxiety in his chest, on top of the dull certainty that they had to do something. If it came out that U.A. had been attacked by villains and Endeavor's son had done _nothing_ -

Todoroki flinched when a tentative hand touched his arm. "Can you make ice, Todoroki?"

"I-"

Todoroki raised his right arm, only to flinch away when something nearby collapsed, sending showers of sparks spraying toward them. _If you won't use my fire, you can't use her ice, either_. He was - hot, overheated, and he _couldn't use his Quirk!_

"You probably got a concussion or something," Midoriya said, but he was watching Todoroki carefully, and his eyes were gentle, watery…

_Sympathetic?_

"Man, this would've been a lot easier to deal with if we had Todoroki's ice," the other voice complained; Todoroki glanced to it, finding Ojiro there, swinging his tail at any flames that drew close.

"I don't think it'd help, really." A villain, skin rocky, dull red light glowing in the cracks, like lava, stepped forward. A gash opened in their head, like a vicious grin, and they raised a fist. "I can melt steel by touch with my Quirk. And you-" Their grin widened. "You're _Endeavor's_ kid! Oh, this is going to be fun. You never really get chances to hurt heroes without getting up close and personal with them."

Todoroki didn't respond; the villain clearly expected him to cry and beg for his life, and Todoroki knew the face of someone who wouldn't respond to pleas for mercy. The only response that might stay the villain's hand was the simple fact that killing Todoroki probably wouldn't hurt Endeavor; the most it might do is irritate him that his great experiment had proven weak enough to be taken out by a third-rate villain.

"Stay away from him." Midoriya stepped between Todoroki and the villain, hands out to block any path to Todoroki.

"Stay out of this," Todoroki protested.

"No; you're _hurt_ ," Midoriya snapped. He turned back to the villain, settling in his stance. "If you want Todoroki, you're going to have to go through me."

"You think I'm worried about crushing _two_ kids?" the villain demanded. They stepped forward, swinging a rocky fist glowing with heat. Midoriya hopped aside, grabbed the villain's arm, and twisted, sending them tumbling aside.

"Melting steel means your skin gets about 1,500 degrees," Midoriya said as he stepped up to the villain. "I know I can handle up to 2,000 without sweating." He looked around at the conflagration, shaking his head. "Whoever's in charge of this attack made a number of fundamental errors. The first is sending someone like you here - heat-based Quirks ironically tend to make their users overheat. Without an appropriate heat sink, that excess heat bleeds into their body, causing heat stroke, fever, even death. You can't keep this up for long, I'm sure - you probably relied on the heat and smoke to take us out of commission without you having to fight."

Todoroki found himself staring. Was Midoriya - _lecturing_ the villain? About _strategy_? A hand clamped onto Todoroki's shoulder before he could protest; Ojiro shook his head at Todoroki.

"What?" Todoroki mouthed at Ojiro, who jerked his head toward the villain. Their skin was...duller than it was a moment before.

"Your second mistake was assuming we would be easy to overpower. If Todoroki weren't injured, I'm certain he would have frozen you to the floor already. There's a difference between untrained and weak, and there are enough powerful Quirks in our class that this won't be _nearly_ as easy as you seem to expect." The villain's skin was just barely glowing anymore, and he didn't look ready to leap at Midoriya. Todoroki felt a vague sense of unease.

"Your third mistake, and probably the worst one, is spending time scouting out your location without figuring out the Quirks of the students you were kidnapping. Someone clearly thought it didn't matter where we ended up, because we're just kids, and you can handle kids. But in the right environment, even a weak Quirk can be powerful."

Everything was on fire. Everything smelled like smoke. But ten years of experience had given Todoroki a sixth sense for what happened next. "Midoriya, get out of the way!" But Todoroki was too late - he'd been so occupied watching his classmate, worrying about his own weakness, he hadn't been watching his teammate's back. The snap of fingers (overdramatic - something about fire Quirks gave people a sense of - showmanship) heralded the arrival of a pillar of flame. It was brief, gone in the blink of an eye, but Todoroki felt the heat, even five meters away from Midoriya and the rocky villain. A spindly villain dressed in burnt rags, eyes a smoldering brown, stepped forward, hands shoved in their pockets.

"Five thousand degrees. That's the same temperature as the surface of the sun. That's how much heat my Firestorm Quirk can create." The rocky villain was still, and Todoroki felt an odd twist in his gut. Heroes didn't kill. Villains did so without hesitation. And that meant Midoriya-

"And that's another mistake, attacking kids who haven't figured out the limits of their Quirks yet." Midoriya's body was wreathed in flame, as Todoroki had seen once before. Todoroki shivered as his right side tried to flare to life. "I don't know how much heat I can take, but five thousand degrees is apparently fine. You see, if you'd known about my Quirk, you'd have dropped me in the flood zone."

"That may be true," the villain agreed. "But like you said - people with fire-based Quirks can't handle high temperatures." They raised their hand and snapped again.

Todoroki felt the temperature around him rise, and closed his eyes, readying for a blast of heat he knew he couldn't survive.

He did, though. There was a flash of heat, searing, and he knew he'd have burns across most of his skin later, but then a blessed coolness, and when Todoroki opened his eyes, it was to see Midoriya reaching back toward him, eyes shining green within the corona of flame around him. Todoroki found himself shivering again, and it wasn't his ice. Midoriya had stood in front of Todoroki enshrouded in flame once, looking back at him, face impassive. Now...he was reaching out, a hand held out as if to shield Todoroki from fire that had hurt him. Midoriya turned, and it was with some satisfaction that Todoroki saw shock, fear, in the villain's eyes. It was part of their job, Endeavor had said, to be something villains feared. 

"I haven't found my limit yet," Midoriya said. He sounded oddly calm, for standing in front of a villain in the middle of an inferno. He sounded oddly calm, for Midoriya in _any_ situation. "But I think it's clear no matter how many times you use your Quirk, _I'm_ going to end up in control of it." He stepped forward, the flame trailing behind him like a real cloak, and the villain stepped back.

"It doesn't matter _what_ you threaten me with-"

"Threaten?" Midoriya stopped mid-step, head snapping up, the trailing end of his flame cloak snapping away, and out of existence. "I didn't - I don't. If you're going to keep fighting, I'm going to have to beat you, but we can't - I'm not going to _torture_ you!"

The sight of someone wreathed in flame speaking like that - uncertain, kindly, _hurt_ at the suggestion he might cause unnecessary pain - caused something in Todoroki to snap. He began to laugh.

"Todoroki?" Midoriya half-turned, one eye fixed on the villain. But the other, a fierce green like - copper fire - was watching Todoroki, concerned, _worried_. Laughter bubbled up in Todoroki's chest, rising to a tone he didn't think had ever escaped his mouth (when was the last time he'd laughed _at all_? he couldn't remember). His breaths came unevenly, wheezing, and Todoroki was certain he couldn't stop it. It was so terribly ironic he was frightened of a child so unlike his father in every way but the most unimportant one, the one quality the three of them shared. There was a bitter thought in there, that Endeavor deserved a son who would have embraced the fire Endeavor had gifted him with, a son he couldn't burn, whose mother wouldn't have scarred him. But through all that was the frantic, pained laughter. 

Todoroki couldn't say how long he laughed, but when he drew his first clear breath, his gaze was drawn to Midoriya, hovering close, an arm free of flame near Todoroki's shoulder. Further away, under Ojiro's watchful gaze, was the villain, eyes fixed, wide, on Todoroki. Either Ojiro or Midoriya had bound the villain's arms, but he seemed less concerned about that than Todoroki's breakdown.

Todoroki felt his face flush. The last thing he needed was it getting around in the villainous world that Endeavor's son was _cracked_ ; although it was clearly too late to worry about keeping it from the rest of the class.

"Are you alright, Todoroki-ku - Todoroki?"

"I'm fine, Midoriya." Todoroki rose and gave the villain a cool look. "Let's get out of here so we can hand him over to the teachers, see if they can get answers out of him."

The villain was shaking; Torodoki stepped back, mindful of how his outburst must have frightening even to a hardened criminal. But after a moment, it was clear he was laughing.

"Your teachers? They're not going to be in any condition to help you. We're here to kill All Might - I don't think _anyone_ you've got out there is going to be alive in five minutes."

And Todoroki suddenly realized what had been bothering him. The villains had let Midoriya draw things out, let them talk and boast, even when they knew they were beaten. He didn't doubt the villains would have killed them if they'd gotten the upper hand, but once they'd lost…

Once they knew Midoriya was a threat, their mission had changed from 'kill him' to 'keep him pinned down'.

Because if you wanted to kill All Might, you couldn't afford him any support you hadn't planned for.

"We need to go," Todoroki said. " _Now_."

And no longer cornered, no longer confused (having stood next to a figure cloaked in flame who'd reached out to Todoroki in concern had cleared up any confusion about whether Todoroki's father was here), Todoroki stretched out a hand, carving a path to the exit out of his ice.

"Todoroki?" Midoriya sounded confused, a little hurt, maybe edging on angry, and now wasn't the time to get into all of it, but Midoriya deserved _something_.

"I couldn't do this if you hadn't helped me...Midoriya-kun." Todoroki wasn't certain he'd ever be able to apologize for what had happened in the combat training, but maybe extending an offer of...familiarity, if not friendship, could suffice.

"Oh!" Midoriya's smile, framed by a mane of fire (untamed, indiscriminate, like his affection, and so unlike the power and control of Endeavor's flame), was…precious, was the only word Todoroki could bring to mind. "Anytime! Ojiro-kun, Todoroki...kun, let's go!"

Todoroki had to go first, to keep the path clear, but he suspected otherwise Ojiro would have outpaced him. Midoriya was skating behind both of them, flame gathered around his arms, head, and torso, so he didn't melt Todoroki's ice. Running, the flame trailed behind him like...wings, one line of fire extending from each arm. Todoroki nearly lost his balance once before turning his attention away from his teammates and toward their destination.

The thought of _helping_ All Might was as ludicrous as the thought of killing him, but there was too much thought in this assault (even if they'd made mistakes) for the villains to have come to this without a good reason to believe they could pull it off.

And there was something in Midoriya's expression (Todoroki took a glance, just to gauge whether his teammates looked ready to fight) that troubled Todoroki. More than just concern for his hero, his teacher.

He wondered if Midoriya, who knew everything there was to know about pretty much any Pro hero, knew of a weakness, a way a determined or lucky villain might destroy the Symbol of Peace.

He knew enough to be worried, so Todoroki pushed himself, so it took only a minute or so to burst back into the main building of the USJ, and the battle raging there.

\---

In some ways, Yomi was the least dangerous of the members of the organization known as The Shinigami. She didn't fight. There wasn't a story about her that mentioned her picking up a weapon.

But All For One didn't fight either. For both of them, it was a sign.

They didn't fight because if they wanted to destroy you...they would do it.

So Yomi was, in perhaps the most important way, the _most_ dangerous of The Shinigami.

There was no show of force, no threat, that All For One could make, that would impress her.

So when All For One came to Yomi's lair, he came alone. He carried no weapons. He just walked to the door, flanked by two women in delicate traditional dress (all in white, because Yomi had committed to an aesthetic), and bowed.

"All For One-sama," one said. "You are expected."

He did not show any reaction; he would have been _surprised_ if Yomi did not attempt a show of force, but he refused to be impressed by it.

"You will come to speak with Yomi-sama," the second said.

And All For One could posture and insist no one could command him, but.

He was here to speak with Yomi, so such posturing would earn him nothing. And for her power, she could demand such obeisance. So he bowed and followed one of the guardians into the home, which proved little more than a room set only with a great staircase descending into the earth. All For One followed the stately servant, finding the stairs went on for much longer than he would have thought they should. At last they came to an ornate door, scowling oni carved into its surface. The servant bowed and slipped through. It took only a moment for her to return.

"Yomi-sama will see you now," the woman said. She gestured toward the door.

All For One took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The center of the room beyond was well lit, and set with a large table. There was a pot of tea set on the end nearest All For One.

The far end of the room was cast in shadow, but there was a great chair, and a figure sprawled across it.

"Come. Sit. Take off your mask." All For One paused, and he heard a deep chuckle from the chair. "Are you frightened of me?"

All For One took a deep breath. "Of course I am."

"Good," Yomi said with a laugh. "Take off your mask or leave." Her voice was harsh, like steel, and All For One had nothing he could threaten her with. So he removed his mask, something little more than a child's toy. But Yomi's Quirk did not work on someone whose face she could not picture, so he had deemed it necessary. All For One sat at the table and poured himself tea. Yomi clearly valued engaging in these little rituals.

"So. What has brought All For One to my domain?"

"I need someone dead," he replied.

"Someone you cannot kill yourself? Someone you cannot simply have your loyal slaves do away with?"

"This is what you do, isn't it?" All For One demanded.

Yomi laughed. It wasn't the refined chuckle from before, but something deep, unrestrained. "You think I lurk in this dark basement, stealing lives on commission? I had presumed that for lacking any sense of morality, justice, or human decency, you might at least have possessed a decent imagination."

"I possess sufficient _drive_ to achieve my dreams, imagination or no. Will you do this for me, or do you wish to continue mocking me?"

"I need a face and a name. You must know that."

All For One pulled the photo from his coat and placed it flat on the table. "His name is Kuni Isoshi."

Everything was silent for a moment before All For One saw movement in the darkness, and a figure drew close. Yomi was dressed in an elaborate bone white kimono, but it was her face that drew attention. Her hair was little more than a few pale wisps atop her head, and her face half-melted; there were sores and what looked like open wounds spread across it, and her eyes were pale, as if blind. She moved toward him, slow, regal (she couldn't be blind, or her Quirk wouldn't work the way it did), staring at him without expression.

She stopped just out of his reach, and looked down at the picture.

"He looks quite like you."

All For One felt a surge of irritation, tired of this woman's games. "What does it matter who he looks like?"

"There was a time when killing one's own kin would call down-"

"The wrath of the gods?" All For One retorted. 

"No, the wrath of something _worse_ ," Yomi answered. "In times gone by, there were laws even gods had to obey. The wrath of the Erinyes. Vows made by the River Styx." She sighed. "But that is an age long past. Men are becoming akin to gods, and recognize _no_ law. You wish me to kill your brother."

"Yes."

Yomi took a step forward, and All For One felt a surge of triumph as he reached out-

Something cold pressed against his skull, and All For One froze.

" _This_ is why I tell you not to take meetings alone, Yomi-chan."

Yomi shook her head, blistered mouth twisting into a grin. "But if you are always here to save me from my foolish mistakes, how will I learn to behave better?"

"Do you want me to let this upstart steal your Quirk, Yomi-chan? I could."

"You _couldn't_ ," Yomi shot back, her voice light, bubbly. Nothing like the refined, regal creature All For One had been speaking with. "Cross-kun would be _disappointed_ if he found out."

All For One's other hand was loose at his side, and it was clear now that he was out of reach of Yomi, the two Shinigami were unconcerned with All for One. He turned his free hand slightly and-

"And what am I to do with _you_?" Yomi asked, turning back to All For One. "Kuni Tsukasa."

In his shock, All For One forgot entirely about the other man, about his plan to steal Yomi's power for his own, all giving way to the unbridled panic in seeing Yomi _knew his name_. Had _seen his face_.

"Oh, don't look at me like that!" Yomi chided, waving a hand at All For One. "If I went around murdering everyone I could, I wouldn't have very many friends left at _all_. I still don't, but I'm certain Cross-kun wouldn't put up with it." She settled at the far end of the table and waved to the side All For One had originally taken. "Go on. Sit. And I can tell you what the consequences of trying to steal my Quirk will be."

All For One settled, cautiously, across from Yomi. She wasn't smiling anymore.

"Some days I _might_ have killed you for your audacity. But instead, I think I'll give you a gift. Three, in fact. That's a nice number. The first, of course, is your life - I know _you_ don't understand, but willing all of one's enemies dead grows tiresome, eventually. The second, is a piece of advice: be cautious of doing that which cannot be undone."

All For One felt a twist in his stomach, rage or discomfort at the thought he could have used that advice _before_ he'd given his brother a Quirk.

"And the third of my gifts, Tsukasa-kun, is a secret. Quirks did not begin with the Luminescent Baby. And those that came before, those that have survived the ages, are greater and more terrible than anything you can imagine.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of gods, Kuni Tsukasa, until you are of their number."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yomi  
> Quirk: Death Note  
> If Yomi writes the name of a creature while picturing their face in her mind, they will die. If she does not otherwise specify, or attempts to write an impossible means of death, they die of a heart attack within 40 seconds. Otherwise she can designate a means of death that will occur within 400 hours.


	4. Boss Rush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The USJ fight pits the nigh-indestructible Nomu against the U.A. faculty, while their students struggle to find a way to help.

"What makes you think _I'm_ the final boss?"

The massive villain sprang at Aizawa, moving fast, almost too fast to follow. He turned his gaze from the villain with the hand on their face (Shigaraki, Thirteen had reported), not daring even to blink, but Aizawa had met them, before, villains who pushed themselves to the height of human potential, so even without their Quirks, they could fight Pro heroes toe to toe. So the fact the massive villain didn't slow, only slammed a fist into Aizawa's stomach, well, Aizawa hadn't expected it, but it wasn't unprecedented.

As he landed heavily, the massive villain closing in on him, Aizawa tugged his capture weapon around to ensnare their legs and pulled, trying to trip them. The villain reached down and grabbed the fiber, which _tore_.

 _All Might_ could tear Eraserhead's capture weapon, but not many other people could.

Aizawa was not equipped for this fight - even with most of the other villains incapacitated or vanished when the warp villain stole away most of the class. A villain without a Quirk he could negate, who could all but ignore his capture weapon, was Eraserhead's worst nightmare.

...Well, as a hero. As an _educator_ , the fact Aizawa was nominally in charge and had already lost three-quarters of the students he'd come in here with, was a slightly higher concern.

As Aizawa ducked under a wild swing from the huge villain, he tried to remember if he'd ever sparred with All Might (the answer was no. Until this year, Eraserhead and All Might had never been in the same circles). He couldn't remember ever fighting someone with this sort of strength, this sort of speed, who didn't get it from a Quirk.

...He didn't want to see what this villain's Quirk did.

Of course, he considered, as the villain slammed a knee into his chest hard enough for something to crack, he might not get a chance to if he didn't go beyond.

Aizawa snapped his capture weapon out; tripling the fold reduced the length of it, but there was a chance-

He snagged the weapon around the villain's leg, and this time, his pull sent the villain off balance. Aizawa darted in, loosing the capture weapon and readying it to tie them up-

When someone grabbed his arm.

His elbow suddenly felt numb, but in the same throbbing way as a burn before the nerves recovered from the shock and screamed at him.

Aizawa leapt away, seeing Shigaraki's hand bent, as if it had just grasped something. The numbness in his elbow seemed to be spreading, and between this and the monstrous villain, Aizawa wasn't certain what he could do.

"Take _that_ , you bastard!" A mass of red, black, and green streaked across Aizawa's field of vision, and then the ground shattered with the force of an explosion. Within the smoke, Aizawa could see two small forms running against the huge shape of the large villain; instinctively, he looked for Shigaraki, and activated his Quirk. The edges of frayed nerves began screaming at him, but this was no time to worry about a mere injury. The incoherent swearing made clear that one of the people who'd intervened was Bakugo Katsuki - the lack of fallout from other emitter Quirks suggested the other was Sato, Kirishima-

As the smoke cleared the large villain slammed a fist down, the assault halted by an impact with something over a meter from the ground.

"...I don't think I can take another hit like that, dude." Kirishima Eijirou, then.

"I didn't _ask_ you to take it!" A series of quick explosions caught the large villain in the stomach, chest, back of the head, and keeping his eyes on Shigaraki, Aizawa couldn't see as well what had happened. Luckily, Bakugo was nothing if not vocal about the situation.

"What the _fuck_ is this shit?"

"Ha! Did you think we came to kill All Might with a tool that could be defeated that easily? Nomu possesses the Quirk of Super Regeneration."

 _Kill All Might_?

Before even this year, Aizawa would have, reluctantly, expressed his belief that was impossible (he doubted _Yomi_ , of The Shinigami, could do it, though that was because All Might had hidden Yagi Toshinori within the heart of the Symbol of Peace. There were only a handful of people knew he _had_ a real name). Knowing now that Yagi was damaged, the strengthening nature of his Quirk fading after only a few hours of use (it was strange to realize Aizawa had always been able to counter All Might's power, but been cowed into believing, as so many others had, he was invincible), Aizawa had to conclude it was possible.

And if All For One was behind this attack...they _knew_ that.

"Kill All Might? You won't even beat _me_!" Bakugo jumped at Nomu, and Aizawa, now knowing there was a Quirk at play (it couldn't be Nomu's only Quirk, having been sent to kill All Might - there would be other surprises), blinked, quickly, just enough to wet his eyes, and turned his gaze on Nomu.

Shigaraki was suddenly there, one hand clamped around Bakugo's bracer. The equipment disintegrated, falling to pieces before Bakugo could detonate the perspiration stored in it. Shigaraki reached his other hand for Bakugo's face, too close for Bakugo to bring his other arm around to retaliate, and, still focusing on Nomu, Aizawa knew he couldn't shift targets in time.

A hand grabbed Shigaraki's outstretched one, skin rough and rocky, although it started flaking away almost immediately when Shigaraki clenched his hand around Kirishima's. But Kirishima showed no sign of discomfort as he twisted Shigaraki's hand around with a snap.

Shigaraki _screamed_. He fell back, good hand fluttering around the bent, broken one (afraid to touch it, Aizawa suspected - it was rare for such powerful Quirks to come without drawback). "You were supposed to be _low-level_ -"

"What the _hell_ did you call me?" Bakugo shouted. He punched at Shigaraki, only for black mist to fill the space between him and Shigaraki, and an explosion from above to send him sprawling. 

Shigaraki snarled at the warp villain as the primary mass of their dark mist appeared around him. "We're getting _out_ of here, Kurogiri! Before we get mobbed by these-"

There was an explosion, close, deafening, and Aizawa saw a swirl of black mist eject Bakugo twenty meters away. If he could figure out what constituted that villain - Kurogiri's - body, he could negate their Quirk, but part of him wasn't certain it was worth it. Their power was weakening - or they were conserving their strength for their eventual retreat (it was clear, even if they believed they could kill All Might, they couldn't endure the Hell that would fall upon them for doing so).

The huge villain - Nomu - was suddenly inside Aizawa's guard, leaving him with no time to ensnare them, to knock them aside. Nomu grabbed the back of Aizawa's head in a palm that dwarfed it, and slammed his skull against the ground. His nose all but shattered, and the first blow bruised his eyes already. The second and third cracked more bones in his skull, and with the rattling of his brain within, Aizawa could barely focus enough to remember where he _was_ , much less what he was supposed to be doing.

It was looking more likely that he might not get out of this alive.

\---

As Nomu stepped away from Eraserhead, the hero clearly out of commission, Kurogiri reappeared by Shiragaki's side, whipping around to shield him from one of the overpowered brat's explosions, redirecting it into the red-haired kid with the enhancement Quirk.

But the kid hadn't braced himself against the recoil, and was airborne again, a blast sending him spinning toward Shigaraki.

"Nomu!" They couldn't keep wasting Kurogiri's power to keep this kid at a distance, not without compromising their escape route, so Shigaraki left their defense to the indestructible Nomu, whose imposition between Shigaraki and the brat ensured the mook couldn't get to him, took the full force of the brat's strike. But with his force absorption and regeneration Quirks, the minimal damage Nomu took was healed before the brat could swing his other arm around. Nomu caught the brat's other arm, directing the blast safely away from them, and hurled the kid skyward. The brat didn't immediately try to correct his course with his explosions, meaning either he was running low on power or the loss of his bracers had reduced his ability to use his Quirk.

Shigaraki sidestepped a charge from the kid with the enhancing Quirk, reaching out with his good hand-

"Let _go_ of me, you fucking _newt_!"

Shigaraki looked up, where a kid who looked like a frog had a meters-long tongue wrapped around the explosive brat's waist. They were falling slow, suggesting there was someone with a telekinesis Quirk somewhere around here…

The frog let go of the brat, who dropped toward Shigaraki with a growl. "I'll _kill_ you!"

Nomu, though, blessed masterwork of Sensei, caught the brat's hands in their own fists and slammed the brat down onto his back, arms held out on either side of them. The child kicked, twisted, and swore at Nomu, but as Nomu's hands could withstand the force of the brat's explosions, they weren't going anywhere.

"To be honest, kid, I didn't expect any of you to be much of a challenge - distractions from our _real_ quest to kill All Might." Shigaraki ambled around Nomu, careful to stay out of range of the brat's flailing legs. "So consider it a mark of pride I've decided you're enough of a nuisance to kill you myself."

The brat's face twisted into a sneer and they _spat_ at Shigaraki. "You can't kill me, you _asshole_! I'm gonna be the Number One hero, and I won't be beaten by a _weakling like you_!"

Shigaraki shook his head, feeling a chuckle wind its way up his throat. "You aren't in any position to stop me." Quickly, so the brat didn't get any ideas, Shigaraki slammed his good hand down onto the brat's face, curling it to press all five fingers against his flesh.

Nothing happened.

"What-" Shigaraki felt a moment of panic, wondering if this brat _was_ too strong to die at Shigaraki's hand. But then he saw Eraserhead, broken, bleeding, holding himself up on shaking arms, gaze fixed on Shigaraki. "You are just _too cool_ , Eraserhead. They call you the ambush hero, but here, outnumbered, beaten, you're still trying to fight - and for _what_? So these brats can become the government's clubs? A tool to turn against those society finds distasteful?" He walked to Eraserhead's side and crouched down next to him. " _America_ doesn't limit how its citizens use their Quirks, and there's no more super-powered crime there than here. Isn't that ironic? That for all your heroes - for your Symbol of _Peace_ \- you're no better off than anywhere else? You aren't _helping_ these kids - you're condemning them to a hopeless fight against the evils of mankind. We might not be able to kill All Might, but we should leave a mark nonetheless."

"Release!"

At the shout, Shigaraki raised his head, hand rising at the same time. This turned out to be lucky, as a full-grown tree was falling toward him and Nomu; the length that slammed into Shigaraki's good hand crumbled, disintegrating around him. The other two-thirds of the tree hit Nomu, who barely shifted as their shock absorption bore the brunt of the collision.

Of course, that required Nomu to let go of the brat…

Who lunged at Shiragaki with a scream. Kurogiri made another close save, throwing the brat ten meters away. Shigaraki turned back to Eraserhead.

He wasn't there. He saw the froglike brat hopping away, Eraserhead wrapped up in her tongue, and in his place a slim child with wild purple hair, hands loose at his sides.

Shigaraki didn't dare relax; he'd forgotten that, low-level or not, these kids could have dangerous, powerful Quirks, and with Kurogiri keeping them within the dome, they didn't have an escape route. Rats fought hardest when they were cornered. "You don't have to die here," he said, gently. "That brat-"

"Kacchan," the boy said.

"Kacchan's going to die - that's a given. Probably going to kill the little brat who broke my _hand_. And, of course, All Might."

"Not like that," the kid replied. "You don't know his secret. Why you'll never beat All Might."

Shigaraki shook his head, chuckling. People talked like this, sometimes - he knew the cadence of those declarations, some sentimental nonsense about how All Might lived in the hearts of every aspiring hero.

Still…

The mission was off-track because of their lack of intelligence. "And what's that?"

"If you want to know how to kill All Might, you'll let us all go - Kirishima, Kacchan, Aizawa-sensei."

"You conniving little-" Someone tackled the exploding brat (Kacchan), cutting him off.

Shigaraki considered the demand - of course he was _upset_ , but letting the kids go today didn't mean he couldn't destroy them later. And any way to improve their chances of killing All Might was worth it.

"Fine."

"You'll let us all go?" The kid's voice quavered, and Shigaraki grinned at the evidence of the kid's fear.

"Yes, if you tell me how to kill All Might."

Shigaraki's body turned in place and took a step toward Nomu. Scowling, Shigaraki turned back toward the brat.

His body didn't obey his commands, continuing instead to walk toward Nomu, good hand reaching out toward Sensei's creation.

"What did you _do_?" he demanded, or tried to, fruitlessly. But as he continued to move forward, neither leg, hand, nor mouth obeying his commands, it was clear what had happened; the little brat had some sort of mind control Quirk. Something the kid had _said_ had triggered the Quirk, obviously, but otherwise, Shigaraki had no idea how to escape it. Was it time-based? Would it function only for one command?

If it was simply a matter of willpower, Shigaraki would not allow this. But despite his best efforts, despite demanding his muscles move according to his commands, his hand reached out and pressed his palm flat against the center of Nomu's back.

Nomu's flesh began flaking away, rotting at the touch of Shigaraki's hand; their regeneration struggled, trying to keep up with the disintegration caused by Shigaraki's Quirk.

It took only a moment to determine Nomu's Quirk couldn't keep up; if exposed to Shigaraki's Quirk for much longer, Nomu would be beyond repair.

Nomu turned, one arm pulled back, hand fisted, and Shigaraki realized there was another possible outcome to this situation - having his skull crushed by an enraged genetic experiment. One of Kurogiri's portals kept the first, direct stroke from hitting Shigaraki, but the second, a mere glancing blow, was enough to send Shigaraki sprawling, his chest searing from the impact to his left lung (the months spent training Nomu to target that area, the remnants of Sensei's last fight with All Might, seemed less amusing when Shigaraki experienced the results).

The spike of pain left him reeling, but head clear - like the shock of stepping into frigid air.

Shigaraki didn't waste any time, scrambling up to his feet screaming out Nomu's codeword, and then, "Get that kid, and _keep his mouth shut_." The kid didn't have the skill of Eraserhead, or Kacchan's relentlessness, so he barely had the time, much less skill, to react before Nomu slammed him against the ground, palm covering his mouth.

Kurogiri was holding off all comers as Shigaraki walked to the kid with the mind-control Quirk. His anger, frustration at how _hard_ this was proving to be had boiled away, leaving only perfect calm. Whether his claim that there was a secret to killing All Might was true, or just a ruse to capture Shigaraki with his Quirk, it had made Shigaraki think.

They were here to kill All Might, built a weapon tailored to counter his every strength.

But suddenly, it didn't seem like much of an accomplishment. All Might was _old_ ; someday he would retire, or die - it was inevitable. However much they might fool themselves otherwise, every law-abiding citizen had a small part of their hearts set aside for that moment.

 _Someone_ would kill All Might someday.

But to _destroy_ him-

"All Might was scheduled to lead this class," Shigaraki said to the brat as he drew closer. "And in his absence, villains attacked his beloved students. What do you think it would do to him...to lose a student...because he was not where he was _supposed_ to be? Because he was saving _someone else_?"

" ** _-SMASH_**!" The building shook with the strength of a punch that only one person could manage. Shigaraki recoiled from the sound, stumbling back until he could focus on the entrance, where _He_ stood. A man towering above all others, dressed in a skin-tight suit of blue, red, white, and yellow accents, wearing a sickening, brilliant grin. "Well, now, it was lucky Young Iida was able to find me on his way back to the main campus. Because now...I...am...here!"

"Always here in the nick of time, isn't he?" Shigaraki looked down at the struggling kid, and then back up at All Might. It hadn't just been bullshit, talking about destroying All Might's reputation. But no one said he couldn't kill All Might and _then_ murder his students. "Nomu? _Destroy him_."

All Might was already hopping toward them, crouched for another leap, so Nomu jumped as he did, colliding with him in mid-air and bearing them both down to earth with a ground-shaking crash. And in the next moment was the brilliance of Nomu. Sensei _could_ have found a person with sufficient will to weather the strain of multiple Quirks. But even with that sort of power, no ordinary person could defeat All Might. Even the most experienced warriors, even _All Might_ , when faced with a threat to one's life, had to take a moment, a fraction of a second, to consider their options. But Nomu - empty-headed, genetically-engineered, and trained relentlessly, didn't need that moment. So as All Might struck the ground, Nomu's arms blurred into motion. Two furious blows to his chest, another to his skull, before All Might even moved.

But All Might wasn't the Number One Hero for an inability to fight - even weakened, capable of maintaining his prodigious strength for only a few hours a day. When his first strike failed to dislodge Nomu from on top of him, All Might slammed his foot into the ground, sending them airborne, where a two-handed smash sent Nomu plummeting back down while the force sent All Might flipping back to land a dozen meters from Nomu.

If they were in prime shape, hadn't endured a beating at the hands of _Kacchan_ , Nomu would have been on their feet and a split-second from shattering All Might's ribs before All Might could catch his balance. As it was, All Might raised his arms to knock one fist aside and block the second, though the force of the punch sent him skidding back a few meters. Still standing, Nomu recovered faster, combining a leg sweep with an overhead swing, but this All Might met with a 'Dakota Smash', hitting Nomu's fists with enough force to have torn Nomu's arms off, if they were a weaker creature (not that it would matter). The air currents generated by the punch, though, picked Nomu up and tossed them aside, giving All Might a window to stand and close, getting in another punch to Nomu's stomach before they could land, before sprinting after Nomu.

A timely intervention by Kurogiri disrupted All Might's pursuit, Nomu landing close to Shigaraki.

"Get up," Shigaraki snapped, "and do what we _taught_ you to!"

Nomu crouched and hurled themself at All Might, moving blindingly quickly - not quite as fast as they could have with a speed Quirk, but in the same class - and crashing into him, slamming him into the ground and jamming their knee into that one place - the wound that was killing him far more slowly than Nomu was going to. This close, Shigaraki could see the wince, the automatic reaction to pain that All Might fought to conceal, as he buckled. Somehow, in that searing pain, though, All Might managed to reach up, grab Nomu's arms, and drag them down, throwing his legs up to turn the force of Nomu's fall into a flip that sent Nomu slamming against the ground. All Might flipped about with the force of the throw, and, on taking his feet, grabbed at Nomu.

A portal beneath All Might, though, sent him off balance, falling through in a moment. But because he was All Might, Number One Hero, who possessed, in addition to his impossible strength, a keen strategic mind, he twisted in the air as he fell through the other side of Kurogiri's portal, landing light enough on his feet that he closed in just as Nomu stood. He jabbed a fist into Nomu's abdomen, and when that failed to provide results, followed with another, and then another and another and another - a flurry of blows too fast to follow.

It was an assault that had brought many powerful villains to their knees - but _never_ anyone as powerful as Nomu. Nomu barely shifted, not under the force of the punches, and not even to block.

Seeing the complete lack of response, All Might wound up for a, "Texas Smash", but Nomu, too, had learned, and braced themself against the explosive winds generated by the punch, the force of the punch itself doing little. They grabbed his outstretched arm and pulled him in for another knee to his wound, and Shigaraki felt a spark of satisfaction at the barely-visible wince.

All Might jumped into a spinning kick that didn't knock Nomu aside, a headbutt that made no meaningful impact, and an overhead California Smash that barely bruised Nomu.

Between those blows, though, Nomu got their own strikes in - two more punches to All Might's wound, drawing a spatter of blood from his mouth, and another to his genitals, because Nomu had been trained for effectiveness, not honor. Their fist was drawing in for another strike when-

A cocoon of ice encased them from head to toe.

\---

"Good work, Todoroki-kun," Midoriya cheered; while it was probably impractical for All Might to break through the ice, it would likely hold the big villain in place long enough-

"No, fuck you, Pixie Dust!" Kacchan screamed. "I'm not gonna let Half and Half fight while _I'm_ stuck back here! He's _not_ getting all the credit for this! I'm _better_ than him!"

"Ka - Bakugo, _no one_ is fighting; Todoroki is pinning that villain down so All Might can-"

"The fuck do _I_ care? I'm going in!"

"Kacchan-"

"Shut up, Deku! You don't know _anything_ about shit like this-"

"Isn't this a search and rescue class?" Kirishima asked. "Like, Tsu got Aizawa-sensei out of here, and Shinsou probably got a concussion getting knocked around by that big dude."

"Hypnotoad should have learned to defend himself before pissing off a guy that big!" Kacchan snapped. "You remember what happened when he pulled that mind control shit on _me_?"

"Plus, I think something's wrong with my hand - since I let that dude touch my hand, I haven't been able to harden the skin over it."

"Your own fault for jumping into it - any idiot could tell he's got a disintegration Quirk."

"Dude!" Ojiro poked Kacchan's shoulder. "He grabbed that guy's hand to keep him from disintegrating your _face_!"

"So? I didn't ask him to, and I sure as hell didn't _need_ him to! But if you fuckers are gonna _bail_ , you're gonna need better cover than _Deku_ , Pixie Dust, and _two_ crippled teammates. And put that stupid fire _out_ , Deku! I don't need a fucking _light_."

"I can't just _make_ fire," Midoriya retorted.

"If I have to spend the last moments of my life hearing about your useless Quirk, I'm going to put myself out of my misery! Fucking douse the light and-"

"We might have a problem."

Kacchan snapped around to Todoroki, hands clenched at his sides, steaming. "Of course we've got a problem; you expected Half-and-Half to fix this with his shitty, half-assed Quirk!"

Midoriya, though, could see the real problem, as Shigaraki stepped up to the huge villain, pressing one hand against the ice coating them. It took only a moment before the huge villain flexed, ice falling away from their back, but one arm actually shattering from the rapid movement. The villain with the warp Quirk finally let All Might through, the hero rearing back to slam the huge villain when ropes of tissue exploded from the stump of their arm, reforming their arm, unharmed.

"Fuck," Ojiro muttered. "What are we going to do?"

"It isn't actually that bad - regeneration Quirks are incredibly inefficient. The regrowth can allow them to recover from grievous injuries, but there's a limit to how much they can heal. All Quirks have limits, although those limits are less apparent the less flashy or draining the Quirk is. Like how Uraraka-kun gets ill if she uses her Quirk too much, or Kacchan needs to keep hydrated-"

"Shut the fuck _up_ , Deku! I don't blab to everyone about _your_ weaknesses!"

"They seem to be able to absorb the force of most of All Might's punches, which means their bone and muscle density must be extraordinary. But it's that regeneration Quirk that takes the most energy out of them-"

"When I'm done with them, there won't be enough _left_ to regenerate!" Kacchan howled. No one else knew Kacchan well enough to realize what he was doing, and Midoriya wouldn't risk touching him even if he weren't on fire.

So Kacchan was halfway to All Might and the villains before any of them moved.

Uraraka slapped a hand on Ojiro's shoulder. "Ojiro-kun, watch his back!"

"Um." He crouched, letting out a worried whine as even that gentle force pushed him from the ground.

"Just kick off; I'll drop you when you're there!"

Ojiro nodded and slapped his tail against the ground, which sent him soaring into the air much like the ball Uraraka had sent into orbit during Quirk assessment.

"Ura-"

"Shh!" She was watching Ojiro intently, until, at an apparent random moment of his flight, she shouted, "Release!" He kept rising for a few moments before he reached the peak of his arc and began falling toward Kacchan.

Then she turned to Midoriya. "Midoriya-kun, you said we can overwhelm that regeneration Quirk - can Bakugo do that on his own?"

"Maybe - Kacchan isn't dumb, but he might not be thinking how to specifically wear out this Quirk. Burns and tissue damage _will_ force them to expend energy, but things like limb and organ replacement will do it faster. And-" Midoriya didn't add that they didn't have much time; the time limit on All Might's Quirk wasn't Midoriya's secret to reveal.

"Then Todoroki, see if you can freeze that villain strategically, force them to break their own limbs to get free."

"So violent - so _brutal_! If people knew what their tax dollars were paying for, I don't know if they'd be so eager to pay Pro heroes to protect them." The villain with the hand on their face stepped out of a nearby portal, shaking their head. The shadow of the warp villain was gathered around the main villain, tendrils of mist spread about them as a silent warning. "I can tell what you're thinking - Nomu can take a beating, so what should it matter? In America, they protest state-sponsored violence like this. Not very effectively, mind you, but some of them quite desperately oppose this system."

The villain didn't shout or rave; their declaration was even, rational, and for that sounded more horrible than it would have if they laughed maniacally. Midoriya knew the Pro hero system - the licenses, the police contacts, and government oversight - existed to ensure heroes were held to the highest ethical standards. And of course a villain might disagree with heroes' methods, but their description of Midoriya's plan didn't sound very heroic. It left a worrying churn in Midoriya's stomach.

"But-"

"Don't argue with him, Midoriya-kun." Todoroki stepped between Midoriya and the villain with the disintegration Quirk. Ice coated his entire right side; Midoriya could see the ice steaming at the line dividing Todoroki's left and right side. "People like him don't want to argue. They don't want to be convinced. They want to beat their opinions into you until you can't keep arguing, and pretend that means they've won."

Ice lanced at the disintegration villain; mist caught the ice, scattering the attack. But Todoroki had told Midoriya not to argue with the villain, and had attacked them. Todoroki hadn't strategized or cooperated during combat training, but had given Midoriya direction _now_.

So Midoriya leapt into action. For a moment he thought he might close on the disintegration villain, but black mist curled around his fists, and he braced himself for the sudden shift of being thrown through the gate.

When the mist touched the flame enshrouding Midoriya's arms, a spark jumped from it, gleaming in the dark before it twisted, growing into a tongue of flame hanging in mid-air.

Midoriya had only a moment to react. But he'd grown up around Kacchan, a boy whose sweat was made of nitroglycerin. He'd been present when Kacchan, helping his mother make cookies, had grown frustrated at dropping a bag of flour and ignited what he had _probably_ meant to be a small explosion.

So, mind whirring along on whether the incipient chemical reaction was because the warp Quirk relied on a cloud of particulates, some dispersed energy field, or if this was simply an unusual interaction between two Quirks, Midoriya tucked and rolled.

Above him, the world exploded, not so much a sound as a force, a bone-shaking pressure that sent Midoriya to his knees as flames engulfed him harmlessly. If his fall had left him with anything bruised or broken, he didn't feel it as he stood, surveying the USJ. Everyone who'd been nearby were sprawled across the ground. Todoroki was on his left side, curled up as tightly as he could manage. Wisps of mist drifted within the bounds of a tall silver band or collar near the disintegrating villain, who was barely on their knees, one hand raised up toward where Midoriya had been.

A similar explosion seemed to have occurred where All Might and the large villain (Nomu?) were fighting. Only All Might and Nomu were standing; Bakugo was sprawled over Ojiro, back scorched because _he_ wasn't immune to fire.

All Might was standing tall, but was tense, and Midoriya couldn't imagine how weary he was. Nomu, though, was breathing heavy and their arms were blistered.

"All Might!" Midoriya screamed. "Their Quirks - they don't have the energy to keep them up anymore!"

"Is that true?" All Might wiped at his mouth, grin unwavering. "Because if it is - it's time for a real show-stopper. Texas…"

"Get us _out of here_ , Kurogiri!" 

" _Smash_!"

Across the USJ where All Might had just punched Nomu, a furious windstorm tore through the facility. A window high up in the facility, opposite All Might, shattered. And black mist coiled tight around the disintegrating villain, both teleporter and disintegrator gone when the mist cleared.

"Howdy, USJ! This is Present Mic, here with the rest of your U.A. faculty members!"

With the arrival, at last, of backup, of Pro heroes to finally deal with this mess, Midoriya let out a heavy breath, dropped back down to his knees, and let his fire go out.

\---

Chisaki paused when he opened the door to Eri's room. The girl stopped a moment too late, almost running into him. She yelped and backed up two steps; he gave a warning growl and she hurried a step forward to return to an appropriate distance - close enough he could disassemble her if necessary, but far enough a stray step _shouldn't_ cause her to run into him.

But he had more important concerns right now, in particular _the drawings in Eri's room_. He'd heard from her guardians she had wanted crayons, pencils, paper, and had been pleased. Such tools were easier to acquire, involved fewer discussions with shopkeepers, other outsiders, about what child might want those, and so Chisaki hadn't thought much of them.

But those guardians would need re-education, because they had failed to mention the fact Eri wasn't drawing dogs and houses and trees, but the same subject, over and over, duplicated dozens of times in this room.

A triangle - a cape or dress - with a cat's eye set prominently within it. He wasn't certain if it was a costume or an insignia, but it didn't represent anyone in Chisaki's circles. It wasn't a businessman, black market organization, or villain.

"Eri. What's this drawing of?"

"Oh!" She looked up at Chisaki, eyes glittering, a wide smile on her lips, and Chisaki felt his stomach twist uneasily. Eri _knew_ she was a danger to everyone she touched. She _knew_ Chisaki would destroy anyone who tried to help her. He hadn't seen such a smile on her face since she'd finally grown to understand that.

"That's Triangle-san!"

"Triangle-san?" Chisaki asked. He lowered himself down so Eri could see his eyes above his mask. "And who's that?"

"Triangle-san lives inside my head," Eri replied. "I can't hurt him as long as he's there - he promised."

And Chisaki's gut loosened, unknotted. He'd thought, for a horrible moment, that someone had found Eri, was trying to lure her away. "And is Triangle-san a hero?"

"No." Eri shrugged, unconcerned. "If Triangle-san were a hero, he'd try to rescue me."

"Well. It's good to know you don't have any illusions about anyone being able to save you - not without many more people getting hurt." Chisaki waved at Eri's room. "Go ahead. I'll come for you when we need you next."

And in the end, it wasn't all that worrying, that Eri had an imaginary friend. Living inside her head? It was probably the safest place for a person to be. And as long as Eri's only friends were inside her own head, she wouldn't make any trouble for Chisaki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Triangle-san  
> Quirk: Unknown


	5. Two in the Bush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The campus prepares for the Sports Festival, while the mysterious Hero Killer makes his mark on the world.

"So," Aizawa-sensei said, two seconds after the start of homeroom three days later, when classes resumed, "U.A. usually postpones hero law and ethics courses until students are preparing for their provisional licenses. But in light of your encounter with real-world villains, the Principal has decided we should begin preliminary discussions on the subject. So. Can anyone tell me what your legal obligations were at the time of the League of Villains attack on the USJ?"

Iida's hand went up at the same time as Todoroki's; a few others, Yaoyorozu included, were slightly slower.

"Iida."

"Without hero licenses, even provisional ones, we are not expected to provide assistance in any emergency situation. So, none, sir."

"Good. What were your legal _rights_?"

Hands faltered, but Midoriya's was there, steady, present, and Todoroki found himself unsurprised. It was well-known Midoriya was a hero fan, and had confided his Quirk hadn't been apparent until recently (other parents, Todoroki guessed, would not have exposed their child to enough damaging heat by the age of 14 to discover they were fireproof). So in lieu of training for entering U.A., Midoriya had _studied_.

"Midoriya."

Midoriya took a deep breath. "The Quirk Codes allow for the use of Quirks in public only in self defense. Therefore anyone attacked by the villains had the legal right to defend themselves from injury. Many people would say helping our teachers defeat the villains, therefore, was outside our legal rights - illegal Quirk usage."

Bakugo slammed his palms against his desk, small explosions rattling it with the impact. " _Fuck you_ , Deku! Just because you were too much of a pussy-"

"Quiet," Aizawa-sensei said, and Bakugo, having learned early Aizawa-sensei wouldn't put up with having to ask twice, snapped his mouth shut. "Is that all, Midoriya?"

"No. There were a number of factors complicating the situation. Given the wide variety of Quirks, the law doesn't require a particular _form_ of self-defense. The right to self-defense is the right to make anyone attacking you 'unable or unwilling' to continue an assault. So while Todoroki-kun and Kacchan both could use their Quirks to flee, the law doesn't require them to. However, the same standard isn't held to the defense of others - a person _may_ use their Quirk to assist in another person's defense, but _only_ to remove them from a dangerous situation - an extension of the so-called 'Act of God' exception, wherein restrictions on Quirk usage are lifted in times of natural disaster, for the purpose of the defense of life or removal of individuals from the area. Unfortunately, the villain Kurogiri complicated the situation by restricting our ability to escape. At that point, the right to _self_ -defense was the right to use our Quirks to fight any villain that attacked us. But there's still the question of whether attacking the villain with the disintegration Quirk, or the big one, was allowed. In such a case, it would be allowed, if you could show you had reasonable cause to believe that, in your inability to remove yourself from the situation, allowing the villain to assault another person unhindered would consequently bring harm to yourself. The villains' inconsistent position about whether they intended to harm _us_ , coupled with their cutting off all escape routes, gave us the right, absent orders to the contrary from law enforcement or bona fide heroes, to proactively defend ourselves by attacking the villains."

It was...thorough. Accurate, to what Todoroki could remember what his father had drilled into his head about keeping himself safe, although he _hadn't_ known about that last part.

Most of the rest of the class looked dazed, bored, or annoyed, although Yaoyorozu's hand was still held high.

"Yaoyorozu?" Aizawa-sensei asked.

"Midoriya-san's analysis was accurate for an attack in _public_ ; however, because the U.A. campus is _private_ property, its own rules take precedence, and the U.A. student handbook requires a teacher, law enforcement, or class officer authorize such responses."

"No way I'm letting _you_ tell me when I can fight!" Bakugo snarled.

"The reason I asked this question is because becoming a Pro hero requires adhering to countless rules and regulations - _laws_ \- that govern the use of Quirks in public. Acting counter to these rules - these _laws_ \- can result in fines, the loss of your hero license, or prosecution." Aizawa-sensei glowered at Bakugo, who didn't quail under his gaze, but at least fell silent. "The faculty are considering revisions to the student handbook, to allow greater clarity in emergencies, but if you don't treat these rules with the same respect you do the laws that govern your behavior outside this campus, we will not hesitate to _remove you from it_."

Some nearer students flinched. Midoriya, however, was scribbling in one of his notebooks. Todoroki didn't let himself react; he'd been expected to know these rules since he'd been able to control his Quirk. The greatest shame would be failing as Endeavor's scion because he couldn't follow the _rules_.

"But on a less threatening note, the date of the U.A. Sports Festival has been set." Around Todoroki, his classmates were cheering, throwing up their hands, while Todoroki's heart sank.

For most of the year, maintaining impeccable grades was sufficient to keep Endeavor's grudging acceptance. But the Sports Festival was a demonstration, an advertisement. It was an opportunity for Endeavor to show off his legacy. And that meant Todoroki couldn't merely make a good showing - anything less than first place would be unacceptable. They had a month, and that meant weeks of intense training with his father.

At lunch, Todoroki's classmates were chattering excitedly. Todoroki was halfway through his soba when Midoriya looked over at him, mouth twisted, thoughtful.

"You'll train with us, right, Todoroki-kun?"

And Todoroki couldn't give the real reasons - that if his father learned he'd been training for the Sports Festival with his _rivals_ , the result would be...fearsome. So he shook his head, keeping his face impassive. "I plan to win, and that means I can't waste time playing around."

Midoriya's grin flickered, faded, and Todoroki felt a clench of worry in his chest. His hesitant truce with Midoriya felt fragile; he wasn't certain what would offend the other boy.

And then Midoriya's smile returned - not the expectant grin, but an open smile nonetheless. "Then I guess I'll have to wait until the Sports Festival to see your new moves."

The left side of Todoroki's face warmed; he ducked his head to conceal the moment of weakness.

"We're still training after school, right, Shinsou-kun? Iida-kun? Uraraka? Tsu?"

"Certainly," Iida replied.

"Hm," Uraraka mused. "You know, the Sports Festival is all about demonstrating our skills to potential agencies. Do any of you have any idea where you want to work when you've finally gotten your licenses?"

"I think that's getting a little ahead of ourselves," Iida replied.

"Then who's your favorite hero?" Uraraka said, leaning in toward Iida.

He frowned a little, thoughtful, before Uraraka pulled away, one finger pointed up. "Wait! Let me guess."

"Guess?" Iida asked.

"Of course. I bet you didn't know I have _two_ Quirks - anti-gravity, and _mind reading_."

"Really? If so, it is _highly_ unprofessional to use it on your colleagues. We _all_ learned that after Shinsou used his power on Bakugo."

Uraraka fell back, giggling. "Relax, I'm _joking_." But then she gave Iida a fierce look, one hand clenched into a fist. "But I bet I can guess _all_ of your favorite Pro heroes!"

She tapped her chin thoughtfully, staring at Iida for a few moments; he flushed after only a few seconds of scrutiny. "Uraraka, please stop staring!"

"Alright. But let's see. Who could Iida-kun's favorite Pro hero be? Someone Iida-kun looks up to, idolizes, even?" She abruptly gave Iida a sharp grin. " _Your_ favorite hero is Ingenium!"

"That's hardly a difficult deduction," Shinsou drawled. "Ingenium _is_ his older brother."

"And I bet _yours_ is Aizawa-sensei."

Shinsou shook his head. "It isn't that I don't respect Aizawa-sensei, but he isn't _my_ favorite hero."

"Really?" Midoriya asked, perking up from his lunch of katsudon. "Who _is_? You don't seem the type to be a fan of Midnight or Mount Lady-" Tsu snorted from her seat. "Is it All Might?"

"Just because he's the Number One hero doesn't make him _everyone's_ favorite," Shinsou retorted. " _My_ favorite hero is Hawks."

"Hawks? He's a little…flashy, isn't he?" Uraraka asked.

"I didn't think you cared so much about public acclaim, Shinsou-chan," Tsu added.

"I don't," Shinsou grumbled. "But Hawks...I don't know if you've ever heard him in an interview - a _serious_ interview. He's the only hero I've ever heard say that the ultimate goal of any hero should be - a world where heroes aren't needed." His lips twitched upward suddenly. "A world he can be bored in, he said."

"I remember that," Midoriya said. "The hero blogs went a little crazy at that - arguing back and forth about whether he was disrespecting 'real' heroes like All Might. But most people who do serious analysis agree with him, mostly. Obviously, we can't do much about natural disasters, but if we can reduce or eliminate crime enough, heroes _shouldn't_ be necessary."

Todoroki _hadn't_ heard about that; his father had little respect for Hawks, who he dismissed as a pathetic publicity hog.

But as Todoroki couldn't imagine Endeavor relinquishing the power and prestige that came with being the Number Two Hero, even if crime fell to nothing, he suspected there was another reason his father disliked Hawks.

"Now, I think we _all_ know who Midoriya's favorite Pro Hero is," Uraraka mused. "Tsu-chan, though...that's a puzzler."

Tsu gave Uraraka a wide smile. "I'll save you the trouble of guessing - the Pro Hero Selkie! He's everything an aquatic hero should be! So what's yours? Thirteen?"

"Actually…" Uraraka ducked her head. "I couldn't say I have a favorite Pro Hero. Rescue heroes like Thirteen are great, but I don't just want to be one kind of hero. I want to be a well-balanced hero, and I don't know enough about heroes to know who I should look up to."

She twisted around to Todoroki, suddenly smiling again. "And I bet it doesn't take much guessing to figure _your_ favorite hero - it's Endeavor, right?"

Todoroki nearly choked on his lunch. He should have expected that question the moment Uraraka had suggested people share their favorite hero, but.

Well, to say Endeavor wasn't Todoroki's favorite hero would be...accurate. But to _say_ that, to hint at anything other than that he held only the greatest respect and admiration for Endeavor, would be-

Todoroki couldn't _imagine_ what would come of that.

But as Todoroki looked up to his...classmates to respond, he realized he had been sitting in silence so long, any claim that Endeavor _was_ his favorite would come across as plainly false.

Everyone was watching him expectantly, except for Midoriya, whose gaze was steady, green eyes fixed on Todoroki. Todoroki fought down the twitchy feeling Midoriya's scrutiny inspired, having seen a similar expression on Midoriya's face during their fight in the USJ, where the flames of the Conflagration Zone had left Todoroki useless in the face of memories of his father. The thought that Midoriya might have the barest _hint_ of an idea of what Todoroki had gone through made his skin crawl in embarrassment, but the other alternative was Midoriya was just _weird_ , staring at him for no reason.

"It's All Might, isn't it?" Midoriya asked.

"Yes," Todoroki agreed hurriedly, because it made sense, because his classmates would see it as _funny_ , instead of a reason to pity him. "He's-"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Tsu assured him.

"But we'll keep quiet about it, won't we?" Midoriya added, and Todoroki felt a combination of relief and mortification that Midoriya understood _something_.

He excused himself as soon as possible after that, though, because he couldn't keep looking Midoriya in the eyes, wondering what he knew, what he only suspected, and what he really _thought_ about Todoroki.

* * *

Most of Midoriya's next month, outside of classes and official hero training, was taken up by training, planning, and strategizing for the Sports Festival. Two days a week, he met with Yagi-sensei, exploring the limits of his Quirk, and learning to control it. Two days a week, he practiced with Iida, Uraraka, and Shinsou. Iida, Midoriya thought, was there out of some sense of responsibility, because while Uraraka and Shinsou sparred in close combat (Uraraka quickly proving stronger than Midoriya had concluded), training skills they'd never picked up in their preparation for U.A., and Midoriya and Shinsou explored how to use their Quirks in combat, Iida was there as a sparring partner, a willing test subject for Shinsou's Quirk, basically a model class vice-president.

This wasn't to say Midoriya didn't find time for his friends outside of hero-related work - regular lunches with some combination of Iida, Uraraka, Shinsou, Tsu, and Todoroki, talking with them during free moments and getting to and from the trains to school, and one weekend trip to the mall that had somehow ended with Midoriya and Todoroki waiting together for a late train. It had taken a week or two of friendship (Midoriya almost felt confident thinking of Todoroki as a friend, even if Todoroki hadn't come out and said it) for Midoriya to realize Todoroki didn't mind it when Midoriya got wrapped up and started mumbling; indeed, it wasn't unusual for Midoriya to trail off, his thoughts winding to a close, to see Todoroki watching him attentively. So the half hour they spent waiting for a train (Todoroki eyed each passing train, dismissing them as too crowded, until the arriving trains were all but empty), Todoroki was almost entirely silent, but Midoriya was certain Todoroki wouldn't have hesitated to leave if he hadn't enjoyed Midoriya's company.

So even though Midoriya was busier than he ever had been, he was balancing his dream with friendships he'd never expected to have, so when he fell into bed at night, it was with the comfortable exhaustion of a day well-lived, instead of the weariness of striving for a dream he'd never be able to pursue.

There was one other thing that commanded his time before the Sports Festival. Two weeks out, Midoriya entered a part of the U.A. campus he'd never been in before, and knocked, hesitant, at a door labeled '1-H'.

"Come in!" 

Midoriya opened the door; something flew at his head, forcing him to duck to avoid having his head taken off. When nothing followed the original projectile, Midoriya turned cautiously. A circuit board, scorched along its entire length, was buried in the wall behind him.

"Sorry about that! The occasional explosion is the price we pay for progress." A pink-haired teen with gold-rimmed goggles over her eyes, poked her head from around a pile of, well, junk.

"It still might help if you post warning signs," Midoriya suggested.

"I asked Power Loader about that once, and he said the sign that says 'Support' should be considered warning enough." The girl flipped up her goggles, giving Midoriya his first glance of yellow eyes that had something of the appearance of targets in them. "Now, who are you, and what are you doing down here? We're not supposed to take walk-ins."

"Um, my name is Midoriya-"

"Izuku?" The girl bolted straight up, her eyes blazing in excitement. " _Please_ tell me you're Midoriya Izuku."

"I - yes?"

" _Excellent_ ," the girl purred, suddenly close enough to grab Midoriya's hands and run her fingers along his gloves. "Passable work," she said, "but I cannot tell you how many _ideas_ I've got for you." 

"Wha - who _are_ you?"

The girl paused, looked up at Midoriya, lips pursed in concentration before she grinned and held out her right hand. "Hatsume Mei, Hero Support Class 1-H."

"Oh."

"Now, _please_ tell me I can help you."

"Um, I'm not certain that you can. I wanted some help with equipment I could use in the Sports Festival, but I don't know if I can use equipment designed by another student. Plus I couldn't ask you to take time away from your studies just to do me a favor, especially since we're going to be rivals-"

Hatsume laughed. "Midoriya, I cannot _begin_ to tell you how off-base you are. Any support student would _jump_ at the chance to have their work help an up-and-coming hero make a good showing at the Sports Festival."

"Good showing?" Midoriya asked nervously. "I can't promise-"

"You don't need to promise _anything_ , Midoriya," Hatsume replied. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the classroom - the workshop - beyond. "They let the Support class see a _lot_ of data on your Quirks and combat showing, and if I were allowed to bet on the outcome of the Sports Festival, I'd put money on you making the top eight. And with _my_ help, I wouldn't rule out you taking the whole thing."

Midoriya froze, breath stuttering. "What do you mean? I'm not - Todoroki-kun, or Kacchan-"

"Well, of _course_ they have powerful Quirks, and good combat instincts. But with the right tools, the right strategy, any Quirk can be powerful. And I have _thoughts_ about yours."

There were a dozen or so workstations in the room, most with neat stacks of blueprints or notes. The one Hatsume was aiming for, however, was a mess of bolts, wires, and what looked like disassembled phones. She shoved all this aside and pulled open a drawer halfway down.

Midoriya, though, was still reeling. It wasn't _just_ that Hatsume though Midoriya on his own was good enough to place well in the Sports Festival (the top _sixteen_ was enough to get agency notice). It was that she was _excited_ to work with him. Support agencies couldn't refuse to work with Pro heroes, but support-dependent heroes were vocal on the importance of a good relationship with their engineers. So an engineer who spent her time thinking of ways to help you-

And Hatsume was still talking. "Obviously you want multiple ignition points _and_ methods; I saw how Yaoyorozu disabled your mechanical ignition with lubricant. How do you feel about flight?"

"What?"

Hatsume handed Midoriya a strip of plastic with an exposed wire about halfway along its length and pulled him to a whiteboard covered in diagrams of some sort of engine. "Jetpacks are difficult to design when you have to worry about third-degree burns from heat-based propulsion or exhaust, but a _fireproof_ user-"

"Um, I don't think I need to fly," Midoriya offered, because he didn't want to be flying with the aid of a device designed by someone who'd been looking forward to a fireproof beta-tester.

"Well, I'll put a pin in that. But I've got so many other ideas - I got my hands on this fire-retardant fabric that I've been playing with-"

"Um, my Quirk can keep my clothes from catching fire when I'm using it."

Hatsume nodded. "The analysis said that, but an easily de-oxidized treatment coating a fire-retardant fabric would be able to burn without you actively focusing on it. And I know you aren't enthused about flying, but I've got an idea for jet-propulsed skates."

"Would they even let me use those in the Sports Festival?"

"Well, no," Hatsume replied. "Your Quirk's 'combat-capable'; you can request assistive technology to enable you to create flame to manipulate, but nothing that substantially increases your capabilities. This isn't an exhibition on who's got access to the best Support work. But I'm all about the 'big picture', and once you've won the whole thing, I'm going to outfit you in enough ground-breaking innovations you could take on All Might!"

"But, of course," she said, before Midoriya could respond, "Let's get you some firestarters that won't quit just because they got wet _first_."

And maybe Midoriya had to talk Hatsume down from building him a spring-loaded flamethrower, robot exoskeleton, and heat-activated capture cloth, but it was a fun afternoon anyway. Midoriya hadn't seen a lot on the Support side of hero-work; he knew about the importance, knew heroes that made extensive use of specialty Support devices, but hadn't talked to many Support workers, hadn't seen one at work. Had never really thought about what brought them to the business - money or fame or a desire to do good or what.

Or if they were Hatsume, insistent on demonstrating their brilliance by dominating the Support market (Midoriya still wasn't sure if she wanted to do good or was offended by the existence of equipment inferior to what she could design, and wasn't sure if the difference mattered).

He _did_ get the paperwork filed for two items that Hatsume promised would be ready in time for the Sports Festival - a pair of gloves that should be able to generate a spark unless coated in a _perfect_ lubricant, and a belt that could heat a fuse to spark if the gloves failed. 

Still, he and Shinsou practiced fighting against Iida and Uraraka, trying to hold their own without their Quirks. And in two weeks, they were ready - or as ready as they could be - for the Sports Festival. Midoriya didn't check his phone that morning; the rise of a mysterious villain killing Pro heroes meant any news would just depress him. Instead, he ate a healthy breakfast, accepted his mother's well wishes, and took the train to the stadium.

It looked more crowded than Midoriya had ever seen on prior year broadcasts, the masses packed on the train, flowing toward the stadium once Midoriya disembarked, requiring a struggle to reach the student entrance, where Cementoss formed an unambiguous barrier between the audience and participants. And then Midoriya was inside with the other students. The locker rooms weren't quiet, exactly, but those students talking did so in whispers. Midoriya nodded when he saw Iida, Shinsou, Todoroki (who gave a curt nod - not a smile, but enough that Midoriya felt relief that Todoroki hadn't been offended by his suggestion they train together), and paused when he saw Kacchan, who was glowering as Kirishima talked at him. After a moment of thought, Midoriya decided against approaching Kacchan; he wouldn't appreciate the distraction. Instead, Midoriya mentally ran through his notes - observations about the capabilities of his classmates, his _own_ capabilities, and strategies he'd thought about after classes. He still wasn't sure about Hatsume's claim he could _win_ this (with Kacchan and Todoroki both, Midoriya doubted he could make it past the top four), but he could do his best, show everyone what he could do.

All too soon, though, the announcement came through summoning them to the opening ceremony, and, eventually, to the first part of the Sports Festival. It was usually a race of some kind, but there was enough variation that Midoriya couldn't be certain what to expect. Still, as long as he placed well, it'd be enough to get to the next phase.

* * *

"That fucking nerd must have cheated!"

Todoroki rolled his eyes as Bakugo snarled at Midnight. The obstacle race was still in progress, the people without Quirks easily used to increase their speed bringing up the rear, but most people's attention were on the guy who came in second place yelling at the referee.

Todoroki, however, turned away and tried to block out the shouting. He'd had enough of Bakugo's outbursts in class without putting up with it outside of school. And Midoriya pulling up from behind to take first place in the obstacle race may have been surprising, but he'd hardly cheated. He hadn't used anything other than his own Quirk and what could be found within the boundaries of the course.

Todoroki glanced at Midoriya; he was standing apart from the small groups of students, two water bottles in his hands. Shinsou, hands on his knees, was panting, winded, from a run he'd made without the aid of any Quirk. Except for getting free of Todoroki's ice at the start, cutting through the robot obstacles, and his explosive leveraging of the minefield for the air and speed he'd used to beat Todoroki and Bakugo, Midoriya hadn't used his Quirk much to get through the obstacle course, either - an impressive showing.

Todoroki nodded, making a decision, and stepped toward Midoriya. The other boy jerked his head up and, seeing Todoroki, smiled at him (wide, honest, eyes a little watery).

"Todoroki-kun!"

"Midoriya-kun," Todoroki greeted. "I didn't expect you to beat me."

Shinsou raised his head enough to frown, eyes narrowing, at Todoroki. Midoriya, though, just shook his head. "Neither did I! But I wasn't going to do my best if I didn't try, so-"

Todoroki felt a flicker of something - an uncomfortable feeling, a twisting pain in his chest, or stomach - that he shrugged off (he couldn't let _emotions_ get in the way of his performance at the Sports Festival). But it wasn't a surprise that Midoriya had needed to go all-out to beat Todoroki (not arrogance, but a simple fact, that Todoroki's Quirk was much more powerful than Midoriya's). Still.

"I don't think you cheated. You did a good job."

"Oh?" Midoriya's gaze flickered to Bakugo before shrugging. "Kacchan just gets a little worked up sometimes."

Of course, everyone in 1-A knew that, knew how overdramatic Bakugo could get. But Todoroki was certain he was the only one who saw more, could see how carefully Midoriya talked to Bakugo, how cautious he was to avoid more of Bakugo's attention than necessary. But to suggest to Midoriya he understood, Todoroki would have to expose his own weakness, as unforgivable as failure ( _moreso_ \- weakness could be exploited a thousand times over).

So he just nodded. "Still," Todoroki said, "Don't expect to beat me again."

Midoriya's smile went from gentle to sharp, excited. "Don't expect me to make it easy for you to beat me, either."

* * *

"Look at you," Stain growled, "a 'hero'. What does that even mean?" There was a cough behind him, a wet sound as his latest victim struggled to speak. "Don't even bother. I know what you'll say. Heroes fight villains. Heroes protect people. But that's not all, is it? Heroes are celebrities. Heroes have special privileges - do you know what that word means in English? 'Privilege' means _private law_. Heroes live by a different set of rules from the rest of us. We like to pretend they're public servants - they receive pay from the government based on how much 'good' they do - but they have sponsorship deals, merchandising contracts, _book tours_!"

"Y...you…"

"With the sort of money a hero can earn, they can become rich. _Wealthy_. And wealth has its own power, grants its own privilege. And powerful heroes will have children with powerful Quirks, who can become powerful heroes, and...well, you can see where I'm going with this."

" _Wrong_ ," Stain's victim gasped.

"I know, I know. _Anyone_ can become a hero. Except the twenty percent of the population without Quirks, and however many lack _useful_ Quirks. Do you see where I'm going with this? For all the talk about how the Pro Hero system is a great equalizer, a way for anyone who wants to do good to become great - it's just another caste system. A world ruled by those with powerful Quirks. After all, if I didn't have a powerful Quirk, our fight wouldn't have ended the way it did." Stain casually licked his knife, letting the coppery tang of his victim's blood activate his Quirk (it probably wasn't necessary, but Stain didn't feel like taking chances). And then he turned back to face his victim. The man was pinned against the far wall of the alley, held in place by the swords piercing his broken crimson wings. His face, which Stain had only ever seen in an easygoing smile, the charming face of one of the most popular heroes in Japan, was twisted into a silent snarl.

"And the worst part," Stain continued, stepping toward Hawks, beaten, bloodied, and dying, "is that there's no incentive for anyone to change this. A hero's wealth and status is dependent on the existence of villains, so why would they bother trying to make a world free of them?"

Hawks' face shifted for a moment, choking as his eyes widened, pained, but whatever he wanted to say, it was too late for him. His breath escaped his mouth for the last time, and then he was still.

A sharp clap echoed from behind Stain, and then, after a moment, another, and another.

"Good job, Stain-kun!" Stain turned on one foot; while it _seemed_ like the interloper was the mysterious creature who guided Stain to the worst hypocrites, those who made a mockery of the word hero, Stain had enough enemies he couldn't afford to risk otherwise.

But it was them, the vague, smiling figure who had once appeared to Stain and given him his name.

"A little over the top, maybe, but I'm not going to criticize people for people over-dramatic. It'd make me a real hypocrite - not that I mind that, but still."

"What did he do?" Stain asked.

"Hm?" Stain's benefactor asked. "Oh, nothing! I told you, when I agreed to help you, that there was a price. That sometimes, I'd need you to take someone out, no questions asked. I mean, if you actually believe that little speech you gave him, he's part of the problem - a glory-hound profiting off of a problematic system. But no, he's not one of the _bad_ ones."

"So what? I just killed a hero for no reason?"

The creature laughed. " _No_ reason? No, you _had_ a reason. You killed him because I told you to! But I get what you're asking. You're wondering if I had you kill him for a reason _other_ than that it amused me. And I promise you, I _did_. There are people I need to get in touch with, and this - Hawks the latest victim of the Hero-Killer Stain - is the best way to find them. But don't worry, Stain-kun. If we're lucky, the fallout from this will give you the opportunity to kill… _him_. The worst of them all."


	6. Dodging the Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you can dodge a Quirk, you can dodge a ball.

"I've got some bad news for you all!" Midnight's voice drawled across the stadium speakers. "Forty-two first-year students passed through to the second round of the Sports Festival, which is _just_ a tad too many for our final round. So we need to cut that number down, and for that we have an amazing free-for-all battle of dodgeball! It's a classic, and quite simple - if you're hit by a ball thrown by another competitor, you're out! If you catch the ball instead, you're fine - but you'll still have to hit your attacker with your own ball to take them out."

Shinsou glanced at Midoriya, almost expecting the other boy to be taking notes. Instead, he merely watched Midnight with a determined frown. Shinsou let his gaze skim from Midoriya to the other students competing in the second round - Bakugo and Todoroki, obviously, but also Uraraka, Tokoyami, Iida, Tsu, even Aoyama - _almost all_ of Class 1-A. Some he might have some idea how to take out in a game of dodgeball, but others…

And then there were the students Shinsou knew nothing about - a few he'd seen from his place near the middle of the pack, but others who were a complete blank. He didn't know how he'd make a showing of his Quirk, much less _place_ , in a free-for-all.

"Unfortunately, I have to explain all the fiddly details, which just aren't sexy at all. The game is fifteen minutes long, and for every minute you stay in the game, you get 100 points. For every player you remove from the game, you also get 100 points. Of course there are a few little twists. The first is that taking out any of the top three from the obstacle race nets you 1,000 points!" Midoriya stiffened at the declaration, which Shinsou didn't blame him for. Going all out had put a target on Midoriya's back, making it that much harder to place in the second round.

"In exchange, those top three receive 200 points for every minute they survive the battle." It wasn't a fair exchange, but Shinsou supposed it wasn't meant to be. The best Pro Heros were targeted by villains, but didn't receive enough acclaim or money to make up for it. "Now, we know this free-for-all might be a little - _intense_ \- for some of you, so you can form teams if you like. You can go it alone if you think you've got the - guts - for it, or team up with as many as three others. Your scores overall will be averaged, so even if you get taken out early, your team might carry you to victory! Of course, if your teammate is one of the top three, you get double points for your time, and taking you out earns your opponent 1,000 points, as well! You've got 15 minutes to make your teams and plan your strategies. Let's go!"

At the mention of teams, Shinsou felt a brief temptation to do something - well, not necessarily against the rules, but _tremendously_ underhanded, bordering on villainous. With the exception of Bakugo, he was certain no one else would suspect the question, 'do you want to be on my team?' to be a set-up for Shinsou's Quirk.

But one glance at Midoriya made Shinsou abandon that thought. He'd been terrified that using his Quirk on Midoriya to save someone else's life would bar him from U.A.; using it solely for his own advancement was unthinkable.

Nevertheless, as Midnight announced the beginning of the round, Shinsou turned to Midoriya. "Midoriya-kun-"

Midoriya shook his head. "Sorry, Shinsou-kun. I've got a strategy, and you're not part of it."

Disappointing, but Shinsou couldn't expect Midoriya to welcome a liability onto his team, someone who brought nothing-

Shinsou scanned the assembled students, some already gathering into small groups; there were a lot of good Quirks there, but not necessarily ones that would work well together. But Quirks weren't everything; _coordination_ made a good team _great_.

But he didn't have much time to debate, so Shinsou made a decision. He hurried to his nearest target, grabbing Aoyama's elbow. The other boy twisted around, raising one eyebrow before smiling.

"Shinsou? What brings you-"

"I need you," Shinsou muttered. "Come on." He didn't even use his Quirk, just relied on Aoyama's desire to be wanted to drag him along. Shinsou ducked around Bakugo shoving Kirishima away from him, dodged around a number of students he didn't recognize, and grabbed Sero's shoulder at the same time as Iida. Shinsou dithered for a split-second before deciding to play dirty.

"Do you mind if I talk to Sero for a moment?" Shinsou asked, offering Iida a gentle smile.

"Oh!" Iida nodded. "Of course, if you need to talk to him, go ahead."

"Thanks. Come on, Sero." Shinsou felt a little bad, but Iida was going to have to learn not to let people take advantage of his sense of fair play. And Sero followed because of Shinsou's inertia (an offhand comment from Midoriya about 'social engineering' had made Shinsou realize there were ways to get people to do what you wanted without mind-control Quirks).

It took a few steps for Sero to get his balance, but then, still trailing along with Shinsou, asked, "So what are we doing?"

"We're getting a team together," Shinsou replied. "And I need to get one last person before he gets snapped up. Hey! Ojiro!"

Ojiro looked up from where he looked to be in the middle of an argument with Kaminari; Sero waved at him, which seemed to make up Ojiro's mind, as he jogged toward them.

"What's up?" he asked of Sero, who shrugged and jerked his head toward Shinsou.

"This is his show."

"Oh, really?" Ojiro turned to Shinsou. "It doesn't look like you picked us at random. So what's the plan?"

"A defensive strategy," Shinsou replied. "Your repulsive, long-range, and evasive skills are good contenders for surviving the round, but any one individual is at risk from an unexpected attack. With proper coordination, though…"

"Wait, you're not going to take control of our brains, are you?" Sero asked.

"No. I can't manage that level of fine control over more than one person at a time," Shinsou said. He gave Sero what he hoped was a comforting smile; the other boy didn't edge away from him the way some dumbasses did when they realized what Shinsou's Quirk was (failing to understand that _distance_ wouldn't do anything). "But you need coordination, mind control or not."

"That _is_ a good point," Ojiro said. "What's the plan, exactly?"

* * *

Dark Shadow curled tight around Tokoyami's waist, eyeing the wide circle of students standing at the edge of the playing field. Twenty bright orange balls sat, scattered strategically, about the battlefield. Tokoyami tightened the grey headband he and Iida had received when they announced their team, and turned to nod at his teammate.

"Are you ready, Iida?"

"Yes!" Iida agreed, giving Tokoyami a thumbs-up. "As soon as they announce the start-"

"I _know_ our strategy," Tokoyami interrupted. "Don't tell everyone."

"Right!" Tokoyami rolled his eyes, and felt a sympathetic surge of annoyance from Dark Shadow. Iida was fast, but his attitude, while commendable, lacked the subtlety of one who had grown up in the shadows. Tokoyami took a moment to scan the circle, picking out the teams. Todoroki and Bakugo were each on their own, the only solo contestants. Midoriya and Uraraka had teamed up with a girl from the Support class, and Yaoyorozu and Tsu were clearly trying to replicate the chemistry of their team-up in the first hero training class. Shinsou, Ojiro, Aoyama, and Sero made another team (and they all appeared lucid, meaning those three had _agreed_ to team up with Shinsou). Kirishima, Kaminari, and Ashido made another, a ragtag group, but an athletic one. Jiro, Sato, Koda, and Hagakure made another team, and the other seven teams were largely people Tokoyami didn't recognize except vaguely in passing.

"Three!" Midnight called, and Tokoyami snapped his gaze toward the ring. "Two!" she shouted, and Tokoyami heard the rev of Iida's legs. "One!" and Tokoyami glanced left, trusting Dark Shadow to be checking his right.

"Go!"

Most of the other students, Iida included, dashed forward for the nearest ball. Tokoyami, though, moved to cover Iida, Dark Shadow stretching out to double their range of vision. Keeping special watch on those with fire and light-based powers (in particular Bakugo, Kaminari, and Midoriya), Tokoyami caught the two balls Iida, moving at top speed, grabbed as he cut in front of slower contestants, which, with the two Iida kept for himself, left Tokoyami and Iida with 20% of the available firepower.

Tokoyami took a careful assessment of the battlefield. Unsurprisingly, Bakugo had surged to the nearest ball and hurled it with all the force he could muster at Todoroki, and his scream of frustration as a wall of ice blocked the attack was likely to become a refrain during this battle.

"Fumi!" Tokoyami leapt aside as a ball bounced past him, Ashido laughing joyously as she skated past.

"Stay on your toes, bird-boy!" she called, scooping up her ball and spinning around to find another target.

"And Kendo Itsuka is the first casualty of this pitched battle, taken out by a lucky shot from Hiryu Rin!"

Ashido flung her ball again toward a pale-haired girl; the ball stopped in midair, and, as the girl turned, flew back toward Ashido. But Ashido, who was _clearly_ a veteran of many dodgeball battles, snatched a passing projectile out of mid-air, ducked under her target's projectile, and tapped her with the ball.

"And Yanagi Reiko is taken out by a close-combat maneuver from 1-A's own Ashido Mina!"

Dark Shadow yelped, muffled, and Tokoyami cursed himself for his inattention, turning to find Dark Shadow with a ball in his mouth, flinging another toward a pair of boys surrounded by an all-but invisible barrier that blocked all assaults. Two people with the same Quirk? No - the blond shifted as Dark Shadow's assault bounced off the barrier, forearm suddenly spinning like a drill that he slammed into the slow-moving projectile.

Tokoyami dove to the side as the ball rocketed past, rolling past a wall of ice that was either shielding Todoroki from the battle entirely or allowing him to face an opponent with no interruptions.

"And Ashido Mina scores _another_ victory, taking out Komori Kinoko!"

Dark Shadow circled Tokoyami warily; no one had caught him in bright light, but it was only a matter of time. There was a motion at the corner of Tokoyami's vision, close, _too_ close; he stumbled back as a dark form stepped from the shadow that bonded Tokoyami and Dark Shadow.

"I hadn't expected to be able to use my Quirk much, with everyone wearing their uniforms," the form said, raising one hand holding one of the balls up, "so I should thank you for giving me such a perfect opening."

Tokoyami snarled and dropped low, kicking at his attacker's legs; they dropped back into the shadowy connection between Tokoyami and Dark Shadow, stepping out of the shadows cast by Todoroki's ice wall. They waved before turning to hurl a ball at a girl with horns on top of her head.

"Kirishima Eijiro uses his teammate's cover fire to take out Koda Koji - this is an _amazing_ start to this dodgeball battle!"

Something like a phoenix blazed across Tokoyami's vision. It took a second to resolve the figure into something more reasonable - Midoriya wearing some sort of heavy boots rocketing away from Tsu, a brightly-colored gun in her hands, her tongue wrapped around one of the balls. Midoriya's form was coated in flames, an attempt to keep anyone like Ashido getting close, Tokoyami guessed, and the fire streaming behind him had made the impression of some flaming bird.

The ice wall exploded and Bakugo's roar echoed across the field. One of Bakugo's arms was sparking, a ball reaching the arc of its own flight as Bakugo soared toward it. It took only a moment to see the likely trajectory was _too close_ to Tokoyami.

Something grabbed Tokoyami's arms and yanked him away. He struggled for only a moment before he recognized the sounds of Iida's engines. Bakugo propelled the ball down, an explosive spike that sent clouds of dust billowing up. Midoriya's flaming wings vanished (Tokoyami approved; they didn't need a repeat of the uncontrolled explosion that had capped off the USJ fight), and Iida skidded to a stop just long enough to drop Tokoyami out of the danger zone and grab a discarded ball.

"Thank you, friend," Tokoyami said.

"No thanks necessary - it was my duty as your teammate."

"And yes, it looked like Bakugo Katsuki's _explosive_ attack removed Tokage Setsuna from the field!"

"Hahahahahahahahaha!" Tokoyami glanced up; Midoriya's teammate from the Support class was evading a guy with a boiler for a head, a guy whose face seemed to be an empty dialogue box, and a dark-haired girl. Poles lanced out from her backpack, sending her shooting to the side when one of them threw a ball at her, her boots, similar to the ones Midoriya had been wearing, letting her skid along the ground away from them.

Well, Tokiyami wouldn't pass up the opportunity of three distracted opponents. He reared up and tossed his ball at the girl who _didn't_ have some gadgets dodging for her.

The boy with the dialogue-box head turned and shouted, "THUD!"

The ball bounced off of massive black letters that appeared from nothingness at the boy's shout.

"Clearly _not_ a wise battle to insert myself into," Tokoyami mused. He retrieved his ball; as he did so, the ground erupted in a mass of vines that twisted toward Tokoyami. He fell back with a yelp, scrambling to avoid them. Dark Shadow took an offensive swipe at the vines, separating a large clump with no apparent effort. "Good work!" Tokoyami praised.

"Ashido Mina caps off her _amazing_ streak with a **double header** , taking out Rin Hiryu and Jiro Kyoka in one shot!"

There was a shift in the battlefield marked by a familiar howl and an explosion propelling a blond form toward the pink flash at ground level; clearly Bakugo had decided Ashido was a threat, or challenge to his superior skills.

"Come on, Fumi, there's no penalty for making throws," Dark Shadow whined, scooping up a ball that bounced nearby. "Let's _make it rain_."

"An excellent strategy." Tokoyami handed over his ball to Dark Shadow, who hurled one at a passing Shoji. The boy caught the first throw by snapping one of his wing-like limbs around it, and the second with a hand manifested at the tip of his other.

"Nice try, Tokoyami!" Shoji called. He threw the ball held in his hand back at Tokoyami's head, and then turned, leaping toward another target.

Dark Shadow caught the ball easily, but it was a disappointment, having his attack fail. Tokoyami spared a glance for Iida, finding him, as expected, nimbly avoiding most assaults. Feeling buoyed by his teammate's success, Tokoyami turned back to the melee just in time to see a _massive_ ball hurtling toward him.

"Fumi!" Dark Shadow howled, panicked. Tokoyami didn't waste a moment, leaping to the side; with the ball's speed, he wasn't likely able to outrun it, but it wasn't so large he couldn't dodge to the side if he kept his wits about him.

"And at three minutes, forty-five seconds in, Mineta Minoru becomes the first person to succumb to Todoroki Shouto's impressive skills!"

It hadn't even been four minutes? This wasn't just a fight - it was a marathon. Lasting the entire fifteen minutes wasn't just a good way to earn points - it was a demonstration of skill, power, and endurance.

Dark Shadow yanked Tokoyami back a step just in time to avoid a ball slamming into the field at his feet. Kirishima landed just behind the ball, scooping it up. They stood there a frozen moment, Kirishima close enough to put Tokoyami out of the game with no effort-

A ball shot at Kirishima from just to Tokoyami's side, forcing the boy to scramble (a hardening Quirk wasn't much use if getting hit took you out of the game) to avoid it.

"Thanks again!" the dark shape said to Tokoyami. "Having you on the field is pretty useful!" They vanished again, and Tokoyami growled, feeling his frustration rising. He'd never much liked this game when he was younger, and this event wasn't more enjoyable than any other time he'd played.

"Fumi!" Dark Shadow twisted around, catching two balls, but a third soared toward Tokoyami. Tokoyami ducked down, catching it even as the force sent him sprawling. 

"Haha, nice catch!" Ashido called as she skated past. Her teammates, Kirishima and Kaminari, ran past. Dark Shadow took a potshot at the two of them (Ashido was just _too_ maneuverable), but to no effect. Tokoyami reserved the third ball for later use. 

Shoji sped past Tokoyami, empty-handed, until he tripped, one foot sinking into the ground. Tokoyami turned, nodding when he saw a boy with an exposed, skeletal grin. He reared his arm and let fly with his ball. A wall of air intercepted the attack, and then the blond with the copying power bounced a ball off of the back of Shoji's limbs.

"Monoma Neito has just taken out Shoji Mezo! And as we're approaching the five-minute mark, thirty-three heroes are still in the game! Unfortunately, the team of Mineta Minoru and Shoji Mezo, and the team of Kendo Itsuka, Yanagi Reiko, Tokage Setsuna, and Komori Kinoko have a low enough score they don't have any chance of advancing to the next round!"

Dark Shadow scooped up another ball, but a flash of orange forced Tokoyami to roll out of the way of another volley, a ball with a red line along its hemisphere. Breathing hard, Tokoyami gave a desperate scan for his attacker. Only a shout from Dark Shadow gave Tokoyami enough warning to dodge back to his left, as another ball soared past him. No - it was the same one, with the same line.

No, not a line-

A _tongue_.

Dark Shadow flung his own ball in the direction of the returning ball's trajectory, forcing Tsu, crouched behind a low wall of shattered stone, to leap out of the way. As she sailed away, she swiped the ball at another figure. The ball bounced off another wall of air, but with Tsu's control, she swung it around to strike the back of the other person's back.

"Asui Tsuyu brings an end to Monoma Neito with an amazing feint!"

A ball sailed at Tokoyami; he hopped back to avoid the impact, and bent down to seize the ball for himself. He had a single moment of warning, the awareness he'd begun to gather from combat training, and rather than keep reaching forward, fell back. The air in front of Tokoyami pulsed, and then exploded, rock and dirt flying away from the impact - of what, Tokoyami couldn't see. He dodged around two more balls, the second coming with another secondary blast, before bright laughter heralded Ashido's arrival, blasts of acid sending Tokoyami and his attacker, a plain-looking boy, scattering. Tokoyami rolled, ducking behind enough rubble that Ashido focused on the other participant.

"And Ashido Mina continues her _brutal_ kill streak, taking out Shoda Nirengeki!"

"Is she gone?" Tokoyami asked Dark Shadow, who only peeked his head briefly above their cover before nodding. Tokoyami sighed in relief and rose, taking a step away from his cover before his skin prickled, a sensation that gave him pause. A premonition of impending disaster, perhaps? No, he corrected, as he tasted a dryness in the air.

_Static_.

"Dark Shadow, to me!" Tokoyami shouted as he sprinted back the way he'd come. Looking away, Tokoyami saw only the reflection of the flash as Kaminari discharged his full power.

"What a show! Kaminari Denki has stunned two, three, four - I don't _know_ how many contestants, and his teammates are moving to clean up the mess!"

Wait - Tokoyami paused mid-step. If Kaminari had used his full power, he'd be useless - easy pickings.

"Ashido Mina takes out Tsuburaba Kosei with _brutal_ efficiency!"

As Tokoyami turned, red flashed by him, trailed by a path of ice, and a moment later, Present Mic's voice boomed across the arena.

"Todoroki Shouto takes advantage of Kaminari Denki's incapacitation to remove him from the game! But Kirishima Eijiro is on fire - taking out Shishida Kurota and Sato Rikido in quick succession! With that, Rin Hiryu's, Shishida Kurota's, and Shoda Nirengeki's team is out of the running entirely!"

Tokoyami turned, and came face-to-face with the dark student who kept slipping in and out of Dark Shadow to move around the battlefield. He grinned, a flash of white within an all-black face.

"I think I've waited long enough," the other boy murmured. "Time to take you out, bird-brain."

He raised a ball in one hand, grin widening.

And then Iida slammed into Tokoyami's attacker, stopping quickly enough that it sent him flying. "Tokoyami! Are you alright?"

"Yes, thanks to you," Tokoyami replied. "You were right that it would serve us well to split up."

"But it doesn't mean we shouldn't look out for each other," Iida said.

A flash of sparkling light shot Aoyama across the field, and a moment later, "Aoyama Yuga takes out Kuroiro Shihai with flair!"

"There are fewer students now," Tokoyami said, "so it may be best for us to stay closer together."

"I concur," Iida replied.

"Oh, excellent - it's so much easier if you're standing together!"

" _Fumi_!"

Tokoyami wasn't certain who was able to change the size of the balls, but whoever they were, they weren't yet out of the running, as a massive one was heading for he and Iida. But for all they were a larger target, with Iida at hand, they were a _faster_ one, as well. Iida grabbed Tokoyami and charged out of range of the giant ball. It crashed to earth behind them, but as it did, Tokoyami saw Yaoyorozu pulling on an elastic band attached to her arm, an orange ball at the end of the strap. She let go, launching the ball through the air.

It seemed only a split-second later that Present Mic screamed, "Yaoyorozu Momo hits Kodai Yui where it hurts, bringing us to our halfway point and the last twenty-five students!"

Their chances were better, now, but the competition was fiercer. Tokoyami shoved Iida away, splitting them apart as Ojiro slapped a ball their way. Having seen Tsu's strategy, though, Tokoyami was ready for the follow up, Dark Shadow scooping up a ball and Tokoyami looking back toward the source of the projectile. And there - Sero braced on the ground, flinging his tape out to catch the ball and drag it back for a boomerang attack.

Dark Shadow hurled the ball at Sero, only for a blast from Aoyama's laser to knock it aside. As a result - Tokoyami wasn't in a place to evade Sero's swinging attack.

"Damn it." Tokoyami had planned to rely on a lengthy tenure to make it through to the next round, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen. A hand grabbed the back of Tokoyami's uniform and yanked him away from the projectile - Iida living up to his responsibilities in this partnership.

"Todoroki Shouto takes Bondo Kojiro out of the running!"

Ashido skated back into Tokoyami's view, a pair of balls in her hands. She hurled one at Tokoyami, forcing him to hop back; she spun in place, tracking Iida as he tried to dash away from her, and threw the second ball just in front of him. He tripped, somersaulting over the ball, quite possibly by accident.

"Fukidashi Manga is out, thanks to Bakugo Katsuki!"

"Behind you! Kirishima!"

Tokoyami spun, rolling, just in time to avoid a throw from Kirishima, who'd used his and Iida's preoccupation with Ashido to flank them. With Kaminari out of commission, Dark Shadow didn't have to worry about _that_ Quirk, but there were still plenty of threats. A series of explosions behind them suggested Bakugo was still chasing Midoriya or Todoroki.

"Ha, isn't this fun, Tokoyami-kun?" Ashido asked, somehow holding a ball again, bouncing it against her arm before throwing it at Tokoyami. Dark Shadow caught it, spun around Tokoyami, and pitched it at Kirishima.

A ball wrapped up in tape shot between Tokoyami and Kirishima, swinging in a wide arc that forced them both to jump over the tape. As Sero yanked back to recall the ball, Mina sliced through the tape with her acid, grabbing the ball from mid-air.

"Ha, you gotta keep on your toes, Sero-"

A ball slammed into her side, sending the ball in her hands flying, and stopping her mid-sentence.

"Ojiro Mashirao brings an end to Ashido Mina's reign of terror!"

Kirishima grabbed Mina's ball before it could even hit the ground, hurling it at Ojiro with a growl, but Aoyama knocked it aside with a blast from his laser, allowing Ojiro to retreat into their team's defensive huddle.

Vines erupted from the ground near their feet; Dark Shadow swiped across to sever them before they could ensnare Iida, but that left Tokoyami open to get caught. A silver-haired boy leapt into Tokoyami's range of vision, two balls in hand, throwing them simultaneously. He heard a yelp from Dark Shadow as his companion caught a throw from behind, meaning Tokoyami was on his own. He grabbed the vines around his legs and yanked them up, interposing them between him and his attacker. The person controlling the vines lashed them around to catch the balls, freeing Tokoyami to beat a retreat.

"Awase Yosetsu is _out_ , at the hands of Todoroki Shouto!"

A flaming ball arced toward Tokoyami, impossible for Dark Shadow to take ahold of, forcing Tokoyami back, stumbling over uneven ground. He didn't think Todoroki would be using his fire, which made that - Midoriya? The balls hadn't shown much damage from other Quirk usage, but they might still be flammable.

"And Bakugo Katsuki isn't going to let Todoroki pull ahead of him, blasting through Kamakiri Togaru's razor-sharp defense to take him out!"

"Some sort of explosion!" Dark Shadow called; Tokoyami flicked his gaze to the right, to find an orange dot _rocketing_ toward him (with something very much like a rocket strapped to it). He took a step to the left, and the ball shifted.

Was that a _homing missile_?

Tokoyami changed direction, running to the right, dodging through the gap between a green-haired girl whose hair moved purposely enough to be the vines that had ensnared Tokoyami, and Yaoyorozu. The ball twisted around to plunge through the same space - following _Tokoyami_. He didn't have time to work out how it functioned.

"Dark Shadow! Get the rocket attached to the ball!"

"Right!" As the ball approached, Dark Shadow slammed into the small rocket propelling the ball, yelping at the sudden exposure to light from the flames. It was still moving forward, and fast, but as it was no longer homing toward Tokoyami, he caught it with ease. He didn't see the Support girl nearby, which made sense, if she was using rockets to attack people at a range. He took aim at the nearest person - the silver-haired guy working with the vine girl, but the guy proved a little too dextrous.

"Fighting alone against countless enemies! There never was a more manly contest!" Kirishima cried. He pitched one ball toward Ojiro, who snagged it, turning to throw it into another melee, and another, a split-second later, which knocked into Shinsou's head, sending him sailing into Aoyama.

"Kirishima Eijiro avenges his teammate, taking out Shinsou Hitoshi! Five minutes left in this free-for-all, and nineteen contestants remaining! But don't get too cocky - a confident offense can knock even the leaders down a peg or too!"

Strips of tape pulled Aoyama and Ojiro away, their team trying to recover from the loss of their leader. Tokoyami grabbed a ball and ran toward the trio of Sero, Aoyama, and Ojiro. "Iida!" he called - with a coordinated attack, they might-

Something on the ground shifted; Tokoyami hopped to the side, worried it was the weird swamp Quirk that had caught Shoji. But although he landed on solid footing, Tokoyami was off-balance. What had he seen? He stared at the ground, the shifting shadows caused by fighting students and ever-shifting lights, and several still silhouettes growing in size-

Tokoyami leapt back again; three balls slammed into the ground a moment later, falling, he guessed from their trajectory, from just over his head. He twisted in place, and when he saw Uraraka's familiar shape, threw at her. Iida skidded to a stop next to him, taking a shot at Ojiro.

"Sero Hanta takes out Honenuki Juzo!"

How many were left? Eighteen? An impact made Tokoyami turn, bringing him face-to-face, for the first time, with Midoriya. Midoriya was panting, but was holding himself easily - he didn't look fatigued at all. His legs were wreathed in flame, and he held two balls in his hands.

"Hey, Tokoyami-kun," Midoriya said. "Good job avoiding Uraraka's trap."

"I avoided your other teammate's attack, too," Tokoyami replied. "So you won't find me easy prey."

Midoriya shrugged, but halfway through, turned on one foot, the slightest shift, and threw one of his balls. Iida, readying a throw, was forced to kick off to avoid Midoriya's attack. Midoriya spun and threw his second at Tokoyami.

At point-blank range, Tokoyami had no chance of dodging.

But the ball _missed_ , flying over Tokoyami's left shoulder. He heard an impact, and saw a ball bouncing away, as if thrown from mid-air. Dark Shadow cried out in triumph, swooping around to throw another ball at Midoriya, but Midoriya was already hopping away.

"Maybe next time, Tokoyami-kun!" Midoriya called.

Tokoyami was frozen in place for just a moment - what just happened?

"Man, Midoriya's cool!" Dark Shadow declared, curling around Tokoyami's legs. "He knocked a ball right out of the air."

Of course! None of them could afford to pay attention to only a single target. They were all targets themselves, and Midoriya had taken that to heart, seeing an attack coming in even as he prepared to take out Tokoyami. 

"Stay close!" Iida commanded. It was a wise decision; most of the other teams were drawing together. A wall of ice, though, erupted between Tokoyami and Iida; he heard a shout from Iida, but no corresponding announcement from Present Mic, so Iida must have been holding his own for now. Tokoyami turned, looking for a clear target or at least another ball.

"It's a double-knockout! Kirishima Eijiro and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu take each other out!"

Whatever had happened, Tokoyami had missed it, because explosions, rapid-fire like a string of fireworks, drew his attention above the field. Bakugo was rising, juggling five, six balls with his Quirk, as he climbed to a ludicrous altitude. At last, he paused; Tokoyami could imagine his feral grin as the balls around him reached the zenith of their trajectories, and shouted,

" _ **DIE**_!"

With one massive explosion, Bakugo sent six balls streaking toward the earth like meteors. One was headed in Tokoyami's direction, so he ran. Behind him, one of the balls smashed through Todoroki's ice wall, raining frozen daggers on Tokoyami and everyone near him. He was too occupied with that attack to see the other impact sites, but was certain Bakugo had chosen them to send his opponents scattering. It was flashy and destructive, but Tokoyami found himself wondering if Bakugo was stupid enough to think he'd actually hit anyone with those attacks.

"Tsunotori Pony falls to Todoroki Shouto!"

Tokoyami heard Bakugo's scream, saw the flashes of him propelling himself to earth, a spark of orange visible, and he realized what Todoroki likely had - the meteors were a screen, to shatter his opponents' defenses so when Bakugo made his real attack, there wouldn't be any way to escape.

And indeed, Bakugo slammed to the ground, and a moment later, "Bakugo Katsuki follows up that show of _celestial_ force by taking out Shiozaki Ibara!"

Bakugo rocketed away from the site of the impact, the same ball in his hands, dodging a hail of attacks as he made for the remnants of Todoroki's ice wall. "I'm coming for you, Icy Hot!"

His charge was broken when two balls nearly hit him, a pincer attack that forced him to change direction, turning to fling his ball at Ojiro. Tokoyami turned, looking for Midoriya, who was dangerous even _without_ the sort of power that made this battle easier. Tokoyami hadn't taken more than a step before someone landed on the ground in front of him; he ducked as a ball, tethered by a meters-long tongue, swiped through the air above him.

"Trip her up!" Tokoyami commanded Dark Shadow, who swept toward Tsu's legs. Looking for a ball to use to take Tsu out when she fell, Tokoyami saw it - four canisters soaring toward him, sparking warningly - _grenades_.

"Never mind!" Tokoyami and Dark Shadow both dove for cover, moving serpentine to avoid Tsu's tongue, and the ball at the end of it, as they did. The grenade exploded behind them, a blinding flash that would have grievously injured Dark Shadow if they'd taken the brunt of it. Tokoyami hopped up, Dark Shadow tossing a ball into his hands, and looked back to Yaoyorozu and Tsu. If his Quirk weren't a constant companion, Tokoyami couldn't stand a chance on his own against them. As it was - Tokoyami dove again as Tsu flung her tongue, and the attached ball, at him.

"Iida!" Tokoyami shouted, desperate. As Tokoyami reached his feet again, Yaoyorozu snapped her hand around, dragging a ball along with her movements. Tokoyami hopped back, now used to the uneven footing, but not the trajectory as the ball jerked in mid-air to swing at him from a new angle.

As he stumbled back, Tokoyami saw a flash of light in the air between Yaoyorozu and him, and understood. She'd made an elastic band, like Tsu's tongue, to double their effectiveness. There was a flaw in that, though. With the right motivation, Dark Shadow could cut through steel, and Yaoyorozu's thread wasn't a part of her body.

Dark Shadow circled around the twin attacks, aiming for Yaoyorozu's thread, at least until someone landed on the ground next to Yaoyorozu. Yaoyorozu yelped as she flew away from the impact site, rising at a slow but steady angle.

Uraraka! Tokoyami redirected Dark Shadow to scoop up a ball and try to take out the concentrating girl. But someone dropped out of the air in front of her, Midoriya, arms wreathed in flames. He pitched one ball at the floating Yaoyorozu and dropped his gaze back down to Tokoyami.

"Midoriya Izuku removes Yaoyorozu Momo from the game! There's less than two minutes left in this round, so it's your last chance to shine!"

A laser blast forced Tokoyami, Midoriya, Uraraka, and Tsu to break apart in different directions. Midoriya's and Uraraka's teammate roared past on her rocket boots, grabbing Uraraka to soar out of reach while Midoriya circled back around toward Tokoyami.

Tsu's tongue whipped around toward the laser's source, and a moment later, Present Mic called out, "Asui Tsuyu takes down Aoyama Yuga at the ninety second mark!"

Tsu landed lightly, whipping her tongue toward Ojiro; he flipped nimbly out of the way of one swipe, then a second. 

Tokoyami spared little more attention to them, though, as he backed away from Midoriya, whose flames had spread across his shoulders and back. It was strange, Tokoyami mused, that Midoriya was still aflame. Fire alone wasn't particularly useful in this contest, and Midoriya wasn't the type to use it to intimidate people. And that meant...there was some aspect of Midoriya's flame that benefited him that others didn't know about. Unless, of course, Midoriya knew about Dark Shadow's weakness.

At the noise of an explosion from above, Tokoyami leapt back; Midoriya did the same, just before a ball rocketed into the ground. Unlike Bakugo's meteor attack, this was aimed, precise, and would have hit at least one of them if they hadn't had that moment's warning.

"Don't run away from me, Deku!"

Leaving Midoriya and Bakugo to fight each other, Tokoyami turned his gaze up; Uraraka and the Support girl were contributing heavily to their team's mobility. And that meant-

"Ojiro Mashirao is down, at the hands of Asui Tsuyu!"

The Support girl's backpack stuck out a rod that propelled her away from a ball - automatic avoidance, Tokoyami guessed, but not infallible. It would sense how projectiles moved, or how people moved, but someone like Dark Shadow could move in ways physical beings couldn't. He charged at her from behind, and when her backpack shoved her away, dodged in from above, tapping her on the top of the head.

"Oh, amazing! Hastume Mei's Support equipment is foiled by Tokoyami Fumikage! And Todoroki Shouto takes out Sero Hanta!"

Another string of explosions heralded a rain of balls that sent Tokoyami and the nearest students fleeing; this one, however, ended with the call of, "and Bakugo Katsuki gets Asui Tsuyu in the last minute of the round! Forty-five seconds and eight students remaining - this is _so exciting_!"

Dark Shadow yelled a warning, allowing Tokoyami to dodge as Midoriya, ball held in one hand, arms and back coated in flame, stumbled through where Tokoyami had been standing.

"Good try, Midoriya, but you'll have to do better than that."

"I know," Midoriya said. "I'm sorry, Tokoyami."

"Sorry? For what?"

Between one moment and the next, Midoriya's whole body was sheathed in fire, a blazing silhouette that forced Dark Shadow to recoil. And this close, without Dark Shadow to protect him, Tokoyami had no chance.

"Tokoyami Fumikage is out of the match, taken out by Midoriya Izuku!"

Tokoyami's leg would bruise from the impact, he was sure, but he barely had taken a moment to consider when Present Mic shouted out again. "Uraraka Ochaco gets the drop on Iida Tenya!" And there she was, hands empty, Iida rubbing his head at ground level where she must have dropped a ball on his head.

"Ha, get out of my airspace, Floaty!" Bakugo leapt at the floating Uraraka, punching another ball at her. Midoriya was running at her, but too far away to protect her, and without Hatsume or Midoriya to help her, she lacked the maneuverability to avoid the attack.

"Bakugo Katsuki takes out Uraraka Ochaco!" 

An ice path rose from the ground, carrying Todoroki toward where Bakugo was falling from his apex.

"Uraraka!" Midoriya called. He grabbed a ball, aimed for Bakugo, and-

"Hagakure Toru makes a sneak attack to take out Midoriya Izuku!"

Tokoyami felt a thrill of excitement; of course Hagakure had been waiting for a chance to execute a sneak attack, and now that he remembered she was here, saw her gloves moving toward Bakugo and Todoroki, where Todoroki was skating in irregular circles to avoid Bakugo's rapid explosions, attempts to knock Todoroki off balance enough to take him out. Hagakure's team hadn't scored great, but taking out another thousand-point target might carry her into the final round.

She had just seconds, though - Tokoyami wasn't certain who he'd aim for, as Bakugo was nearly as maneuverable in the air as Todoroki was on his ice. But she'd either thought this through, or was quicker at decisions than Tokoyami, as she hurled the ball at Bakugo.

He twisted mid-air, blasting it away with an explosion, and in that moment, the last seconds of the match, Todoroki threw a ball at Bakugo, just ahead of him, so Bakugo ran into it.

"And that's _**time**_! In the very last moment, Todoroki Shouto takes out Bakugo Katsuki!"

"What? No! There's no way Icy Hot took me out!" 

He _had_ , and by taking out Bakugo, earned the most points in the second round. The other two students who'd lasted the whole round - Hagakure and Kaibara Sen from 1-B, didn't place, their teams' lack of points from taking out other students keeping them from ranking. Hagakure was close - if she'd taken out Bakugo or Todoroki, she, Jiro, Sato, and Koda would have moved on; instead, Kirishima's and Ashido's aggressive strategy just barely got them and Kaminari a place in the finals.

After Todoroki and Bakugo came Midoriya's, Hatsume's, and Uraraka's team; and then Tokoyami and Iida. Tsu and Yaoyorozu trailed after that. Shinsou, Ojiro, Aoyama, and Sero came next; their defensive strategy had served them well by earning them a high average time.

But blissfully, thankfully, they were given a break before the next round started, time Tokoyami spent sprawled on the floor in the darkest corner of the ready rooms. If he was going to beat _anyone_ in the combat round, he'd need all the strength he could get.

* * *

Aizawa eyed Nezu warily. Nezu knew Aizawa worked best when he had a routine, when a day was laid out well enough that he could time his available time to sleep to the second. So the unexpected summons to Nezu's office was something important. Something urgent.

Nezu leaned forward, chin perched on his hands. "So tell me, Shouta, what do you think of Class 1-A?"

Aizawa gave the room a careful examination. There was no sign of bugs or cameras, and nothing in Nezu's posture seemed unusual. Still, he might have been replaced by a keen actor with some sort of disguise Quirk.

"You have my reports, Nezu, sir."

"Oh yes, I know all about their capabilities and potential and those sorts of things, but I want your _thoughts_ , Shouta. Your _feelings_. Our students' skills, you know, are only part of the equation that might make them good heroes."

It didn't sound suspicious, and it _was_ in-character. He supposed it was plausible to think Nezu sprang this meeting on Aizawa to get his feelings, unfiltered and honest.

...He hated that sort of thing.

"They're enthusiastic, but first-years usually are. The Sports Festival, of course, has them excited."

"But not many first-year classes face villains so early in their career," Nezu offered. "You are the best-suited to evaluate their attitudes, their reactions."

Aizawa still wasn't certain what Nezu wanted, but had something of an idea of it. Remembering what he had seen of his students first-hand, and what had been captured on the USJ cameras, he probably had enough observations to offer his opinions.

"Unsurprisingly, they jumped at the opportunity to fight villains - even when faced with a real villain, I would expect novice heroes to believe themselves capable of handling themselves. I was most impressed, though, how they banded together to support each other when they discovered the true situation."

"They did indeed support each other - and _you_." Aizawa nodded to concede the point. "But that isn't quite what I wanted to know." Nezu hopped onto the top of his desk and began to pace the edge of it. "Midoriya Izuku. You are aware he believed himself to be Quirkless for most of his childhood, correct?"

"Until he and Bakugo encountered that sludge villain," Aizawa replied.

"Yes. Midoriya disclosed his apparent Quirklessness to All Might, who later witnessed Midoriya's flame resistance and pyrokinesis. He concluded that Midoriya's Quirk is not one that might manifest in a household that practiced good fire safety."

Aizawa frowned, feeling a touch of - concern, he supposed - at his thought of where this conversation was going. "Midoriya is passionate about his dream of becoming a hero."

"So it is quite convenient his Quirk appeared just early enough he could attend U.A., you agree."

"...Yes. The means of achieving a lifelong dream, I would say."

Nezu turned to look out his window, allowing silence to settle between them. "What do you think Midoriya would do to achieve that dream?"

"Would he pledge allegiance to All for One, is what you mean?"

"It's a question worth asking. Following the tip All Might received about All for One, we've discovered evidence - nothing conclusive, yet, but certainly _suggestive_ \- that All for One is still at large."

"Well, I think the answer is clear," Aizawa replied.

"Oh?" Nezu turned his head just enough to look at Aizawa.

"I have seen enough of Midoriya's character to say with confidence that he would not make such a trade. I even suspect-" Aizawa shook his head, cutting himself off.

"Do elaborate, please."

"I would speculate that, even knowing All Might told him it was impossible, Midoriya would have pursued his dream even without a Quirk. To be told there were conditions to that dream, that obligated him to someone else - to a stranger - I don't think he would have accepted it."

Nezu's face shifted to a smile, a wide one. "That's good to hear. This has been weighing on my mind, and to hear you and All Might offer the same opinion suggests you are more likely than not to be right."

Aizawa wasn't naive enough to presume Nezu had dropped the issue; he wasn't naive enough to drop it himself. But the mystery of Midoriya's Quirk, the possibility he might be one of All for One's cat's-paws, receded to the back of Aizawa's mind.

It only occurred to him when it was much too late that he and Nezu had asked the wrong question - and that the _right_ question had an _equally_ obvious answer.

The correct question, after all, wasn't 'what would Midoriya do to achieve his dream of becoming a hero?'

It was, 'what would Midoriya do to save someone's life?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harai Akira  
> Quirk: Quirk Transference(?)


	7. Ascendant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From the first round to the end of the quarter-finals, the U.A. Sports Festival continues, pushing Midoriya to his limits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout-out goes out to incognitoinfo, who continues to be a help in listening to my ideas, and who in particular helped out with the climactic last fight in this chapter.

Midoriya winced as Ashido punched Aoyama. He'd known, had _seen_ , how maneuverable she was in the dodgeball battle, but one-on-one, it was something else. It had made quick work of Aoyama, even with him doing his best to catch her in the blast. Along with the battle between Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu, it was competing for second-shortest battle of the first round (Todoroki freezing Sero in place with one gesture was the fastest by far). Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu had just been a poor match-up, although he had a few ideas he might have explored if he'd had Yaoyorozu's power (even _without_ figuring Dark Shadow was vulnerable to light). Todoroki - he wasn't bound to have much trouble except with Bakugo, who he wouldn't fight until the finals, presuming they both got there.

"And here's Kaminari Denki, electric powerhouse, going against Shinsou Hitoshi!" Midoriya perked up at Midnight's call, looking down at the field, where Shinsou was shaking Kaminari's hand, saying something. Kaminari smiled and said something in reply-

 _Oh no_ , he thought. Kaminari wasn't _that_ stupid, was he? Except he'd used one of his big blasts in the dodgeball round, and those always left him a little slow the rest of the day.

"Begin!" Midnight called.

"Please, walk out of the circle," Shinsou said. He was calm, smiling gently, arms folded in front of him - like he didn't have a care in the world. Because if Kaminari had answered a question (and Shinsou had been practicing, could make _anything_ into a question), the match was over.

Kaminari nodded and turned, walking placidly to the edge of the ring and stepping out.

"O...kay?" Midnight said. "It looks like Kaminari has forfeited by leaving the ring!"

Kaminari was looking around, shoulders slumping in defeat when Shinsou stepped out of the ring after him, clapping a hand on his back. Midoriya watched for a moment, just to make sure - but most of their classmates weren't Bakugo, Kaminari the least of all. They _knew_ Shinsou wouldn't use his Quirk outside of training, or a life-and-death situation, and that took away the fear other, less charitable people might have had of it, and him. Being off-guard enough to be caught by it when you were fighting him was - well, a little embarrassing. 

But Midoriya had bigger things to worry about.

Well, smaller. But faster, and with a prehensile tongue and toxic mucus.

Rather than watch Iida's fight against Hatsume (she was talking to Iida near the entrance to the lockers, down on the ground level, which was probably a bad sign), Midoriya climbed down the stands and to the halls down to the waiting rooms - little more than a table, bench, and a water cooler. He sat at the table and just breathed, trying to focus. He was pretty certain he had an advantage against Tsu; she had to touch him to affect him, and thus would be hindered by his fire. But she knew that, too, and wasn't stupid. He had one or two ideas, but Tsu knew her own power better than Midoriya did.

Midoriya was going to have to be ready for anything.

A high chime broke through the silence of the room. Midoriya took one last steadying breath and stood.

It was cool outside, bright, the crowd's excitement audible as a low roar, like surf. The field was clear, and the screens hanging under the announcers' booth listed Iida as the winner - even though Hastume was unruffled by the exit, and Iida was scuffed and bruised.

Tsu was standing across the field, and when she saw Midoriya, she gave him an enthusiastic wave. He waved in response before stepping up himself. He heard Present Mic coaxing Aizawa-sensei into some comment, but let the words fade into the background. Midoriya was here to fight, and he needed all his focus for that. 

"Alright, kids, onto the field!" Midnight commanded.

Midoriya stepped forward, seeing Tsu doing the same.

"I want a _clean_ fight," Midnight said. "As entertaining as Miss Hatsume's product demonstration was, it was...underhanded, leaving me a little hot under the collar." Midoriya didn't ask, just filed the question of just what had happened in Iida's fight to the side. He had to fight Tsu right now.

"Ready, _go_!"

Tsu sprang forward, tongue lashing out toward Midoriya's hands, obviously intending to catch them (or render them wet enough that he couldn't snap a flame with them) before Midoriya could act. Luckily, Midoriya had another card up his sleeve.

Well, on his belt.

Midoriya dropped one hand to his belt buckle, and raised the other between him and Tsu. Her tongue snared his hand and forearm, but at Midoriya's touch, the buckle sparked and flamed, the wire woven along the center of Midoriya's belt catching fire, as well.

Tsu's eyes widened as she landed, but braced herself and snapped her tongue around. If her tongue had been around Midoriya's torso, he'd have been doomed. As it was, she yanked his arm out, and with the strength of the pull, Midoriya could go where she was pulling him or keep his arm - not both.

Tsu dragged Midoriya toward the edge of the ring; his feet barely touched the ground as he followed, bouncing as she attempted to throw him out of bounds.

But Midoriya had fire nearby, and had spent the last month training hard to improve what he could do with it. Bringing his free hand up from his belt brought a trail of fire, so when he grabbed Tsu's tongue, the flame caught her tongue before spreading along the rest of his forearm.

"Ow!" Her tongue (barely burned) retracted in one movement; Midoriya took the chance to shake both his hands, the motion causing the flames on each hand to trail out, respond to his focus to twist around both his arms, and settle in a sheath of flames.

"Sorry, Tsu," Midoriya said. 

"It's alright," Tsu replied. "I might've hoped, but I didn't expect this to be easy." She leapt back into motion, left, right, straight, right again. Midoriya fell back, moving on light, steady feet, because he had to be ready when she-

Did _that_!

Tsu was close enough that she was just a hop away, crouching, tensing, before launching herself toward Midoriya. Midoriya's guard had kept his attention, so he hadn't done more than maintain the flames on his arms, but as a consequence, he was paying enough attention to dodge to the side when Tsu jumped at him.

And she'd somehow made her jump look more forceful than it actually was, because she dropped just out of reach of where Midoriya had been standing, twisted toward where Midoriya was standing now, and kicked off toward him, twisting her elbows around to jam into his stomach before he could react. He fell back, breathless, and the distraction lost him his focus; Midoriya's fire went out as he skidded across the ground. Tsu closed fast with a powerful hop, but Midoriya still had the flame along his waist (if he won, he was telling everyone it was all thanks to Hatsume).

So he swiped his hands along the fire, shook them once to spread the flame, and grabbed Tsu's arm as she fell toward him. He could smell her uniform scorching as he rolled to toss her toward the edge of the field, but her tongue snapped around his leg, drawing her back in before she could fly out of bounds. Midoriya stuck one flaming hand out to keep her from punching him in the stomach again and ran the other along his free leg. Tsu yelped and landed, retracting her tongue, giving Midoriya the chance to sheathe his other leg while dragging his other hand along his torso. As Midoriya stood, Tsu hopped back, eyes darting across as she looked for a weak point. All that was left was Midoriya's head, and he took care of that with a swipe of his hand from the back of his neck to his forehead, and then.

Midoriya was sheathed in flame, the pain of Tsu's blows fading in the warmth of the fire covering him. His heart was still beating quickly, though, and Midoriya grinned at Tsu. He felt - vibrant, refreshed (he wondered about that, still - other Quirks tired their users out, but wreathed in flame, Midoriya felt invincible, indefatigable).

And there were still weaknesses, here. If Tsu were willing to get burned, she could damage the fuse on his belt, disrupt his concentration, throw Midoriya out of the ring before he could catch his breath.

He charged at Tsu, and she hopped to the left; Midoriya slammed a foot down to twist in place, throwing himself after her. She sprang further this time, nearly to the edge of the field, forcing Midoriya to follow. It took only another exchange before Midoriya understood - Tsu was keeping him at a distance. Midoriya could only fight at close range, but Tsu could handle anything within a close to medium range. She could wait for him to get tired, distracted, and strike. And her Quirk didn't put undue strain on her body; she could wait a while.

Tsu landed at the short end of the field, nearest the entrance to the lockers, and Midoriya stopped ten feet away. They held there for a moment, watching each other.

"And the contestants are staring each other down! Is this a stalemate, or the prelude to a master stroke?" Present Mic's voice filtered through Midoriya's focus, and he took a deep, steadying breath. A master stroke? Not quite. But he had an idea.

It was a risk - if it failed, it'd leave Midoriya wide open. But throwing himself at the sludge villain had been a risk. And Midoriya had been testing this for weeks - he hadn't yet succeeded, but nothing had been on the line, before.

His mother could draw objects toward her, so Midoriya could draw flame toward himself. His _father_ , though-

Midoriya threw his hands out toward Tsu and exhaled, using his steady stance and the same will that let him grow flamed along his whole body from a spark to _push_ the fire at Tsu.

Twin lines of flame streamed from Midoriya's hands, the fire along his body thrown at Tsu in one moment. Startled and pinned, Tsu leapt back away from the fire and _out of the ring_.

"Asui Tsuyu has left the ring, and forfeited the match!" Midnight called.

Midoriya put his hands on his knees and tried to steady his breathing; he felt winded, something in his chest tight and - strained. But he'd won - surprised Tsu and everyone who thought they knew exactly what his Quirk did.

"Hey, Midoriya-chan. Good job."

Midoriya looked up; Tsu was standing just within reach, hand out. He shook her hand and stood. "You, too, Tsu. You nearly got me a couple of times."

She bobbed her head. "It's nice of you to say so, but I-"

"No, really!" Midnight was waving them off the field, so Midoriya tugged Tsu in the direction of the lockers before letting go of her hand. "I didn't even know if that last trick would work! Just because I can 'pull' fire doesn't mean I can 'push' it - and I hadn't really gotten it to work before. And I think I might have sprained something doing it, so maybe I shouldn't do it again-"

"Well, that's something to take up with Aizawa-sensei - or All Might-sensei," Tsu allowed, breaking through Midoriya's musing. "Still," she continued, "it was a good move. And a good fight."

"Yeah," Midoriya agreed. He turned to head back up to the stands, only to be stopped short by a hand around his wrist. He looked back at Tsu, who was frowning at him (gently, but from Tsu, even a gentle frown could feel like a slap).

"You should check in with Recovery Girl," Tsu said.

"I'm fine!" Midoriya protested. "And I want to see Ojiro and Kiri-"

"You can watch it later," Tsu retorted. "Your mom's taping it for you, I assume."

"Ah." Midoriya felt a flush crawl up his neck. "Just so I can study my performance-"

"You don't have to pretend, Midoriya-chan. It's - really impressive how much you know about people's Quirks and fighting styles. We're lucky you want to be a hero - I can't imagine having to fight someone who thinks about this stuff as much as you for _real_."

Midoriya sniffed, feeling the prickle of tears at his eyes. It was still so weird to have people who, even if they laughed at his tendency to babble out his whole train of thought, didn't think he was weird for studying heroes. Impressive - studious - _admirable_ \- they called it.

"Come on," Tsu muttered, tugging Midoriya along, "once Recovery Girl checks you out, you can go back and watch the fights."

"Oh!" Midoriya struggled, but Tsu was relentless, dragging him along after her. "I wanted to talk to Uraraka about her fight-"

" _No_ ," Tsu said, firm. "You need to worry about yourself, first. And…" She was quiet for a few steps. "Maybe you should let Uraraka-chan fight her battle without help."

"But Kacchan-"

"Let her worry about Kacchan," Tsu said. "You...won't always be around to help people - even your friends. Besides, Uraraka-chan is smart. She knows the fight will be hard. I bet she's got a plan."

Midoriya hoped so. He barely listened as Recovery Girl pronounced him more or less healthy, providing him with a gummy and warning him against using his Quirk to _push_ again until he figured out how much strain it caused. Sitting back in the stands, watching highlights from Ojiro's and Kirishima's fight (Ojiro, having the stamina to out-last Kirishima's Quirk, had won just before Midoriya had arrived), he worried. Kacchan could be brutal; if Uraraka didn't have a plan, the fight would be over quick, and he wasn't certain how she'd handle that.

"Here's the runner-up from Rounds 1 and 2, the kid with the explosive Quirk, and more explosive temper, Bakugo Katsuki! And the airborne menace from Round 2, Uraraka Ochaco!"

Midoriya's hands clenched in his lap as Kacchan stormed to his stop at one end of the field, and Uraraka did more slowly. She - was standing straight up, not afraid, and Midoriya felt a moment of hope. He knew what _he'd_ do if he had her Quirk.

"Go!" called Midnight, and Uraraka ran toward Kacchan, low to the ground, hands nearly dragging across the floor of the field.

Kacchan responded with a blast from his hands. "You're not going to touch me, you fucking nerd!" he screamed. Uraraka rolled back, smoke rising from her body, and darted back in at a different angle. "Seriously, are you stupid enough to think you're gonna sneak up on me?" Kacchan growled, snapping off another explosion at Uraraka, who skidded back, shifted, and charged in again. "God, you're dumber than **Deku**!" he snarled, knocking Uraraka back with a punch of his Quirk. Uraraka landed, paused, breathing heavily, eyes fixed on Kacchan, and then darted in again, sweeping her arms in low, just trying to touch him - if she could touch him, he'd be at the mercy of her Quirk.

Uraraka stumbled back from the force of Kacchan's explosion - he was getting frustrated, Midoriya thought. "You're not going to fucking **touch** me, you nerd!" Kacchan shouted.

Frustrated...or scared. There were Quirks you could resist or avoid, and those you couldn't. If Uraraka caught Kacchan, no amount of struggling would free him. It would be like the sludge villain all over again.

The crowd was murmuring uneasily; Midoriya could see frowns, scowls on the faces of some people near him. And he could understand it, if they didn't know Kacchan, if they didn't know Uraraka. However much he raged at Uraraka, Kacchan knew she wasn't stupid. If she kept throwing herself at him, she had a plan - one he couldn't afford to discount. Uraraka fell back from Kacchan, wiping at her forehead, swaying in place, and launched in again. He blasted her back with a furious shout, and this time, watching closely, Midoriya saw it.

Uraraka wasn't burned - not indiscriminately, as if she'd been throwing herself headlong at Kacchan. Her _arms_ were burned - the only part of her that'd been close enough to Kacchan to be caught in the explosions.

"Just **give up** , you nerd!" Kacchan shouted. "You aren't going to beat me! You're half-dead already, and you haven't even used your shitty Quirk!"

Her Quirk? Midoriya's gaze slid, without his conscious thought, up, where the debris from the half dozen or so explosions hovered over the field, held weightless within a cloud of cement dust.

" **Release**!" Uraraka rushed Kacchan as the rocks began to fall, an incipient avalanche that could crush him, or distract him from Uraraka's rush.

"You fucking-" Kacchan put both hands together, sparks dancing along his palms before curling into the sinking cloud of dust-

Uraraka dropped flat, hands pressed over her head.

With his experience watching Kacchan, Midoriya knew it would have been a massive explosion on its own.

Amplified by the cloud of dust igniting, exploding, at the same time-

Midoriya threw his hands up too late to block the flash; everything went white, and the stadium shook as a concussive blast struck the audience. Kacchan had knocked Midoriya out once when they were younger, and the explosion from the field brought back that moment, when he'd wondered if his skull would burst from the pressure, the roar deafening him to any other sound, so that in the moment after the explosion, he couldn't say if the sound had stopped or not. Midoriya's chest was tight, like when he'd pushed with his Quirk. Or - Kacchan would pin Midoriya down, to make sure he stayed down, after a demonstration of Kacchan's Quirk (to make sure Midoriya had been defeated). And oh god, everything was dull and quiet - Midoriya began to breathe quick and shallow, the sound loud and empty, the same way it had been in the space between breaths in which he'd met Harai-san.

"Midoriya!"

Midoriya twisted around, hand striking out, and something caught him - something cool, such a contrast from anything Midoriya had experienced with Kacchan that it shocked him back to himself, to the present.

Todoroki was bent over Midoriya, holding Midoriya's hand in his right, grey and turquoise eyes both wide, gaze fixed on Midoriya's face, frowning...oddly, somehow.

"Midoriya-kun?" His voice was muted, but it was a friendly voice (not cold, anymore, even if he could be uncertain, wary).

"Todoroki-kun?"

"I'm taking you to see Recovery Girl," Todoroki said.

"You're up next," Tsu chirped up from a few seats away. "You're fighting Iida-chan."

"I don't-" Todoroki started, before snapping his mouth shut, jaw twitching.

"I'll take him," Tsu said, gently. "I already had to bring Midoriya-chan to see her after our fight; I won't let him weasel out of it."

"Oh." Todoroki's jaw loosened and his shoulders eased. He gave Tsu a curt nod. "That would be...good. Thank you."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Midoriya demanded.

" _No_ ," Tsu and Todoroki snapped in unison. Tsu pulled Midoriya up by his free hand, tugging him out of his seat; she paused, turned, and gave Todoroki a quick salute. "I'll be sure to take care of him."

"Thank you," Todoroki said, following them back until they reached the steps that would take Todoroki down to the field. He stopped, pulling Midoriya and Tsu to a stop because _he hadn't let go of Midoriya's hand_. "I hope nothing's wrong," Todoroki murmured. Quiet, gentle, and Midoriya felt his eyes tearing up.

"Good luck, Todoroki-kun," Midoriya said.

"I - thank you." Todoroki let go of Midoriya's hand and stepped away. "I won't go easy on you, Midoriya-kun, when we face each other."

"I won't go easy on you, either!"

"Come on, Midoriya-chan, you have to see Recovery Girl," Tsu grumbled, shoving Midoriya down along the hallway. "Good luck, Torodoki-chan!"

Todoroki was gone only a moment before Tsu nudged Midoriya. "I didn't realize you and Todoroki-chan were so close," she said.

"W - what do you mean?"

"He _ran_ over as soon as Bakugo set off that giant explosion."

"W - well. We...understand each other." It was probably a lie, but it was the closest thing to an explanation Midoriya could come up with, at least without bringing up his suspicions about why Todoroki got jumpy around fire.

"Well, I'm glad. You can both use someone who understands you." Tsu knocked and pushed open the door to the infirmary. "Hi!" She pulled Midoriya in after her.

"What's wrong?" Recovery Girl demanded. "You aren't even scheduled for another fight for-"

"Todoroki-chan thinks he hit his head or something when Bakugo blew up the stadium."

"Ah." Recovery Girl slipped out of her chair and ambled close; she tugged Midoriya's head down, turning it carefully as she peered into his eyes. "He doesn't seem to have a concussion, but take a seat."

Midoriya nodded, but in that motion caught sight of Uraraka sitting on one of the cots, head down, and he realized he hadn't seen the end of her fight.

He nudged Tsu. "Tsu, how did-" He pointed at Uraraka.

"Oh." She tapped at her mouth. "It was really impressive. She avoided most of the explosion, and got Bakugo when he was stunned from the backlash. Once he was weightless-"

"It's alright, Tsu-chan." Uraraka looked over at them. She was smiling. "I didn't really expect to win." She didn't sound sad - but she didn't sound happy, either, smile or no. "If he'd been stunned longer, maybe, but - he might as well have jets on his hands."

At _that_ , it clicked into place. Kacchan could maneuver in mid-air with explosions. Being weightless just meant there was one less force to worry about. Even scorched and bruised, reeling from the explosion, he'd be dangerous like that. 

"But I did my best!" Uraraka continued.

"You didn't make it easy for him, either," Tsu allowed. "Everyone's really impressed."

"Ha. That's - good," Uraraka concluded. There was a chirp from her lap; she lifted her phone, and her smile - wavered. "I've got to take this. Good luck, Midoriya-kun." She hurried from the infirmary.

Tsu watched after her a moment before shaking her head. "It's gotta be rough," she said.

"What?"

"She wanted to win," Tsu replied. 

"But she said-"

"Do you think you can beat Bakugo?" Tsu asked.

Midoriya paused, and considered that for a minute. Kacchan was strong, smart, _inventive_. He'd kept some of the limits of his Quirk in reserve, and wouldn't be tricked into knocking himself senseless again. Todoroki was the only person in the tournament who could match Kacchan's power, but Midoriya had some ideas - among them using the threat of another explosion like that to herd Kacchan. Kacchan wasn't fireproof, even if he was adept at ignoring pain.

"I don't know," Midoriya concluded.

"But you _want_ to."

"Of course!"

"Well, there you are," Tsu replied.

It was a worrying thought; Uraraka had smiled, but she was upset, and Midoriya didn't know what to do about it. Recovery Girl eventually pronounced Midoriya perfectly healthy, so they were able to get back to their seats just as Ojiro and Shinsou took to the field (Iida, it seemed, had lasted longer than Sero by virtue of his speed, but Todoroki had caught his engines before Iida could throw him out of bounds. Midoriya felt a pang at having missed seeing that live, but felt a different sort of pang remembering Todoroki's pinched expression when he'd insisted Midoriya go see Recovery Girl).

"You don't think he'll get caught by Shinsou-chan's Quirk like Kaminari-chan was, do you?" Tsu asked as they took their seats.

"I doubt it," Yaoyorozu replied from the row ahead of them. "Ojiro-san is disciplined; he won't be easily tricked."

On the ground, Ojiro was slapping his tail against the ground, a steady beat Midoriya wouldn't be surprised if he was using it to psych himself up. "Are you ready?" Shinsou shouted, and Ojiro just gave the other boy a feral smile. No, Ojiro wasn't going to make it easy on Shinsou.

But Shinsou hadn't been doing nothing but brainwashing people for the last month; he wasn't going to make it easy on Ojiro, either.

"Go!" Midnight called, and Ojiro was off with his particular leap (more easily controlled than Tsu's, albeit with less power behind it, and if you got ahold of his tail…).

"Quiet, Midoriya-chan, I'm trying to pay attention," Tsu grumbled.

"Going right for the kill, are you?" Shinsou asked. "Are you that brutal all the time?" He sidestepped Ojiro's first attack, a falling swing of his tail, and ducked inside the punch that followed. Ojiro snapped his tail around, but Shinsou was moving away from the swing, getting in a quick punch to Ojiro's sternum before he stepped quickly out of reach. He'd told Midoriya he was taking lessons outside of class, and there was a careful form to Shinsou's movements - a cautiousness to his steps that suggested he was paying close attention to his balance. He hopped over a horizontal swing of Ojiro's tail, only to get tripped up as Ojiro stepped in and shoved his chest. Ojiro pivoted to slam his tail into his prone opponent, but Shinsou shunted the blow aside with an arm held up, angled, and rolled in the opposite direction. 

"Did you think you'd get me that easily?" Shinsou demanded, receiving only silence in reply. Midoriya felt a flicker of - pride, he guessed, even though he had no responsibility for Shinsou, no reason to feel that Shinsou's victory was _his_. But Shinsou was pressing his opponent, both by talking, constantly, trying to draw out a response he could use to activate his Quirk, and fighting, not giving any quarter (that, at least, Midoriya could feel proud of. He'd helped Shinsou spar, bringing some real experience to complement Shinsou's outside classes).

Shinsou swept low, and Ojiro hopped up, easily balanced on his tail, and drew one of his legs up for a kick. Shinsou, though, was already twisting, letting the leg pass him by and grabbing it. He yanked and shoved high at the same time, sending Ojiro turning, tumbling to the ground as Shinsou pursued him. 

"Can't you do any better?"

Ojiro stopped his movement with a tap of his tail, and then shot himself back up to his feet with a hard slap. He deflected two quick punches from Shinsou before slamming his fist in for a strike to Shinsou's sternum, payback for the first hit, Midoriya guessed. Ojiro snapped his arm up, giving Shinsou another glancing blow to his chest with Ojiro's elbow, though his hand missed Shinsou's chin and nose as Shinsou shifted back.

And slammed his forehead into Ojiro's chin. Ojiro spat blood as he took a dazed step back, probably having bitten his tongue.

"I didn't get you too badly, did I?" Shinsou asked, voice softer, concerned. And that...might have gotten Midoriya - he knew Shinsou cared, worried about how people saw him, and so Midoriya might have thought Shinsou's concern was genuine (that was mean - Shinsou _did_ worry, Midoriya was sure; he wanted to win, though).

Shinsou swiped at Ojiro, two quick sideways strikes that were almost grabs. Ojiro leaned away from the second, and actually kicked back to avoid the third.

"Do you think my Quirk works if I touch you?" Shinsou asked. "If it did, you'd already be under, right? I got the first hit in, remember?" He rushed Ojiro, side-stepping his tail to get in close, two wide swings that Ojiro evaded again, taking one, two steps back-

"Ojiro is out of bounds! Shinsou Hitoshi is the winner!"

It was quiet for a moment, the people higher in the stands craning about for a better look before the screens flashed up to show Ojiro's feet just over the line. And then the crowd was applauding, enthusiastic. Midoriya clapped louder, and offered a cheer for good measure; the crowd was clapping for the good show, but Midoriya knew how well Shinsou had done. Knowing the limitations of his Quirk, he hadn't relied on it. But he'd used it - the _threat_ of it - to keep Ojiro off balance. He'd used his surprising skill in hand-to-hand combat to knock him off balance further. And with Ojiro focusing on those two threats, he'd forgotten about the third - his positioning. It wasn't as exciting as a knock-out, of course, but if you were fighting in a dangerous area and were able to force a villain into a hazard you'd made them forget about - it could be as good as a knock-out.

Shinsou might have once despaired of ever becoming a hero, but he'd done his homework. The Sports Festival was a time to show off your talents, and Shinsou was making sure any Hero Agency watching knew those talents weren't limited to just his Quirk.

Midnight called for the next round - Kacchan versus Tokoyami - and Midoriya groaned. He wanted to watch it, but he was on deck. He waved to Tsu and Yaoyorozu and hurried down from the stands. Once in the silence of the halls, he stopped, and took a deep breath. Ashido wasn't going to be an easy fight - her maneuverability and long-range attacks put Midoriya at a disadvantage.

Still.

It wasn't like he didn't have _any_ ideas.

But his stomach was still fluttering as he stepped outside and found Ashido already waiting, hopping on the balls of her feet. She waved at Midoriya, smile bright (she was having the time of her life, Midoriya knew).

"Are you ready to go _down_ , Midoriya?"

He shook his head. "I'm not ready to be out of the festival yet." But he smiled at Ashido; she deserved that much. "But I expect you're going to do your best to beat me."

"Naturally!"

"Alright, let's save the youthful banter for the actual fight," Midnight interrupted. "Ready? Go!"

Ashido was off immediately, skating toward Midoriya on her acid. She was faster than Midoriya, and with the low-friction acid she could secrete from her feet, _much_ more maneuverable. But there were - limits. Tells, for one. If it were less bright out, Midoriya could watch Ashido's eyes to predict the direction of her movements, but bright light made her eyes look solid black. But that was alright. Ashido couldn't change direction without a point of solid contact with the ground, free of her acid. So when she dropped an acid-free foot to the ground, it told Midoriya where she was going.

It was difficult to keep an eye on her feet and not look like that's where Midoriya _was_ looking, but it was important to keep Ashido from realizing _how_ he could react to her movements.

Midoriya used the few seconds it took Ashido to build up speed to rub his gloves together, get up enough of a spark to coat his hands in flames.

"I don't know how that's going to help," Ashido shouted from several meters away. She flung a handful of acid at Midoriya, forcing him to duck, and then another that, if he hadn't been watching Ashido's footwork to pinpoint her movements, would have caught Midoriya full in the face (they'd all gotten some on their skin at one time or another; it wasn't pleasant). "If you could throw around fire all the time, I'd have seen it before."

Ashido kicked off from the ground, soaring a few moments before she landed, acid on both feet sending her rocketing forward. She was coming in close - closer than she should have, knowing Midoriya's Quirk. One foot rose as Ashido twisted sideways, and Midoriya scrambled back. Ashido's foot slammed into the ground, bringing her to a skidding halt that sent the acid pooled under her feet splashing at Midoriya. It caught his legs and waist, the chemical burn as it ate through his clothes a distracting sting.

" **My baby**!" Hatsume howled from the audience.

Ashido tripped over her own feet, somersaulting to fall flat, spread-eagled, on the ground. "What," she said flatly. Unwilling to let the advantage of Ashido's momentary confusion pass him by, Midoriya charged at her, hand dropping to his waist-

Where the switch, and the wires, of his belt were a smoking, melted mess (Hatsume's scream made sense, now; she'd disturbingly called several of her devices 'babies', both when Midoriya first met her and when they were planning for the dodgeball round).

As much of a blow as it was, it didn't leave Midoriya _defenseless_. He stopped next to Ashido and punched down-

She grabbed his fist in one hand, wincing as the flame licked at her skin, but grinning as her acid dissolved the glove covering Midoriya's fist. In Midoriya's shock, she flailed toward his other hand with her free one, acid splattering across his glove, not destroying it entirely, but fusing the surface into something without the friction necessary to create a spark. Midoriya stumbled back as Ashido skated after him. He still had fire on one hand, enough it would hurt Ashido to touch him (but what did that matter? once his fire was gone, she could pick him off at a distance).

A rapid-fire string of acid blasts forced Midoriya into a serpentine run to avoid getting hit again, taking care not to step out of bounds. He pulled up near one corner of the field; Ashido was skating casually close to the middle, framed by the torches framing the elevated field.

The _lit_ torches.

Midoriya didn't know the exact range at which he could manipulate fire - more than the range of his mother's Quirk, but how far beyond he didn't know. It got harder the further the fire was from him, so the ideal place to try was one of the corners of the field. 

Except what was the point, if he couldn't get close enough to make a difference? Midoriya dodged to the side, and in toward the center of the field, as Ashido skated toward him, acid trailing from both hands.

 _Both_ hands.

Midoriya grinned and jogged ahead of Ashido, aiming to get as close to the center as he could. There wasn't a lot of room for error on this - if he could do it at all. Midoriya took a deep breath, and then another. There was fire nearby, four bright flames flickering at the edge of his awareness. He could feel a connection between him and them, a hint of the warmth they could impart to him if they were _here_. He'd only ever pulled at one source of flame at once, but he'd never _pushed_ fire before today, either.

"Ready to give up, Midoriya?" Ashido asked, charging from one corner of the arena.

"No," Midoriya whispered, and _yanked_. There was strange resistance where the flame was connected to its source, its fuel, but tongues of flame streamed from two opposite torches to envelop both his arms.

Ashido yelped and swerved to avoid the line of fire bisecting the field.

"And Midoriya uses the ceremonial torches to make a wall of fire! Is that even allowed?"

"Yeah, I like it," Midnight purred. "Go ahead!"

"Nice trick," Ashido said, skating just along the line on Midoriya's right, moving fast. "But now you're locked down, and I just need to knock you off balance and that fire's gone!"

Did she?

Midoriya pivoted, swinging his right arm around; Ashido laughed, shifting as the line bent toward her. And then the connection between Midoriya and the torches snapped. Free from its other mooring, the line of flame enveloping Midoriya's arm whipped around fast enough that Ashido avoided it only by a three-foot-high vertical leap. She landed lightly, kicking back to try to keep out of Midoriya's reach while Midoriya experimented. Instead of simply responding to the pull of Midoriya's will, the flame felt like an extension of his arms. He flicked the tip of one of the whips of flame at Ashido with a snap of his left wrist, swiping the other at her feet, forcing her to hop over one and roll under the other.

"You've been holding out on us, Midoriya!" Ashido said, delighted. "Tentacles made of fire? **So cool**!"

It _was_ cool, if - disconcerting. Midoriya didn't know _how_ he was doing it, and worried if he thought too hard about it, it would stop working. Which meant the only way to win was to-

Stop thinking.

Midoriya whipped high and low again, forcing Ashido to drop into a crab walk and actually flip into a handstand. She flipped back to her feet and rushed at Midoriya (whatever she'd said, she clearly recognized this was new, that Midoriya was unfamiliar with what he was doing), slinging acid.

Midoriya threw his hands up, the flames trailing behind; they sliced into the acid, turning it from liquid to gas, and leaving Ashido exposed. Midoriya kicked at her, and, bracketed by flaming whips, Ashido didn't have any place to go. And, more importantly, she didn't cover her skin in acid to dissolve whatever touched it.

There was a limit to how much acid she could produce before her skin couldn't resist the corrosiveness anymore.

"Okay! I'm out!" Ashido shouted from the ground. "Those fire whips are hella intimidating up close."

"What?"

"And Ashido Mina can't take the heat!" Present Mic cheered. "Midoriya Izuku is the winner!"

"Way to steal my thunder, Hizashi," Midnight grumbled. "But yeah, nice job, kid."

The applause from the crowd filtered dimly into Midoriya's awareness; he felt dazed, disconnected.

"You can lose the tentacles, Midoriya," Ashido said, patting Midoriya's shoulder. "You won."

"But I didn't - you just-"

"Intimidated the _fuck_ out of me, Midoriya," Ashido said. She flashed Midoriya a toothy grin. "There's a lot of ways to win a fight, Midoriya. Endeavor's won fights just by showing up."

The flames along Midoriya's arms went out as his stomach sank. The matchups for the semi-finals were easily visible, and Midoriya would be fighting Todoroki. Todoroki, who feared fire, who Midoriya was expected to intimidate into winning.

They had half an hour before the semi-finals, and Midoriya spent most of that time with his head in his hands, trying not to hyperventilate. Because he didn't know how he'd done what he did today, or how he was supposed to fight wondering if Todoroki was frightened of him.

A knock drew him out of himself. "Come in!"

Todoroki stepped into the room with small, precise steps. He was - standing straight, stiff, looking at the wall next to Midoriya's head.

"Midoriya-kun," Todoroki said. "We're going to fight, soon. And I need you to understand...I can't be your friend out there."

"I know - we're all trying to win-"

"Midoriya." Todoroki waited until he was sure Midoriya was quiet and took a deep breath. "I'm going to do my best to crush you, and I want you to understand _why_."

"Um-"

Todoroki sat down a few feet from Midoriya, gaze fixed on his feet. "I want to talk to you about Endeavor - and my mother."

* * *

Alexandria was burning, flame dancing across the roofs of the city like a living thing, smoke rising in a column that darkened the sky. A man stood at the edges of the city, far enough that errant sparks wouldn't strike him. He was dressed all in black, loose clothing draped over his form. He was pale, slim, and, surprisingly for a man standing outside a city that was in the process of being sacked, unarmed.

There was a shift in the air behind him, a shadow drifting across the sands, and he turned. A man, stocky, skin the color of the shadow he cast on the sand, eyes a glittering hazel, stepped up next to the first man.

"This is - horrific," the first man said.

The dark one shrugged. "I suppose. They'd all be dead in a hundred years, anyway."

"I meant the _books_ ," the first one replied. "All that knowledge - _lost_." He sighed. "Unless you found-"

"Dead," the dark one said. "I'm pretty certain we're the only ones left. Us and…"

"Him," the first concluded. "I _saw_ him, you know. Not a figment or a nightmare, but _him_. A living creature reading books as if the library weren't burning around him."

The dark one's breath hitched. "He wasn't affected by the flames?"

"No." The pale one turned, narrowing his eyes. "What does it mean, that he wasn't burned?"

The dark one shook his head. "Nothing. If he had - well, we wouldn't be worrying about who'd survived the purge." They were quiet for a moment, before the dark one spoke up. "You said you saw him, though. In the flesh."

The pale one shivered. "So to speak."

"So did you-"

The pale one nodded.

"Where?" the dark one demanded.

"Yuuei," the pale one replied.

"Yuu...ei? You don't know where that is, do you?"

" _You're_ the traveler," the pale one retorted.

"Well, we've all the time in the world," the dark one said.

The pale one nodded, and as the city fell to embers, they went their separate ways.

They were not yet the Shinigami, the Gods of Death. They were just the last remnants of another age. For a time, they were content to remain in the shadows, until a child was born whose skin glowed brilliantly, like sunlight.

In all that time, Hades never told the others exactly what had happened in Alexandria. To use his Quirk on another creature, he had to touch their hand and meet their eyes, and their enemy allowed such a touch only in one circumstance.

Hades had been allowed to use his Quirk only by sharing with the Cipher knowledge he had learned by using it. 

And so it was certain, as intently as the Shinigami had watched for a place called 'Yuuei', the Cipher had watched with as much interest.

...More, even.

Because it was of great interest to an immortal the place where he would die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hades  
> Quirk: Appointment at Samarra  
> By touching someone's hand and looking at their eyes, Hades learns the name of the location where they will die. While this Quirk is incredibly accurate, Hades doesn't always recognize the name of the location. To keep up with his Quirk, he's spent a lot of time studying geography.


	8. Pyrrhic Defeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shinsou versus Bakugo. Midoriya versus Todoroki. None of these fights are really about who wins and who loses.

Midoriya leaned over the railing of the front row seats (Tsu and Uraraka had grabbed the seats during the half hour intermission), watching the combatants as they waited for the fight to begin. Kacchan was standing at the far end of the field, unnaturally still, miraculously quiet, glaring murderously at Shinsou.

Midoriya jerked his gaze away from Kacchan; he didn't want to think about him.

( _Todoroki was staring at the surface of the table, quiet, hands twitching. Midoriya found himself doing something he'd so far managed to avoid doing before today - staring at Todoroki's scar. But it was easy to avoid staring by telling himself it wasn't his business; it was much harder when Todoroki **told** Midoriya about it._

_"I'm-" Midoriya shook his head, stumbling over the words, because he didn't **have** words to express how hearing that Todoroki's father was so abusive and heartless it drove Todoroki's mother to **permanently scar him** made him feel._

_"You don't have to say anything," Todoroki replied. "I just want you to understand - Endeavor wants me to be his masterpiece, his legacy, and I **won't** be. I'll be better than everyone, and do it without his fire."_

_"But I **do** have to say something!" Midoriya protested, heart tight, racing, at the thought of Todoroki at the mercy of a man like the one he'd just described. "You don't deserve that - and someone like that doesn't deserve to be called a hero-"_

_"Then why do you look up to him?" Todoroki demanded._

_"Endeavor? I don - I **did** , but that's because I didn't know-"_

_"Not Endeavor. Bakugo."_ )

"You can see Bakugo Katsuki isn't taking any chances, keeping his mouth shut; they're classmates, so it's certain he knows how to avoid getting caught by that brainwashing Quirk. And Midnight's counting down…" Present Mic's voice filtered through Midoriya's memories, bringing him back to the stadium. He glanced around, but didn't see Todoroki. He'd been upset, earlier, and Midoriya still wasn't sure if he'd offended Todoroki.

"Go!"

Kacchan leapt forward, disturbingly silent, hands sparking. Shinsou was shifting already, a committed dash away from Kacchan's angle of approach. Kacchan hit the ground, turned with one twist of his knee, and sent a blast in Shinsou's direction. Shinsou dropped, rolled, and was back on his feet in an instant.

"Do you know what your problem is, Kacchan?" Shinsou asked, his voice booming through the stadium (had he gotten a microphone from Hatsume?) "Don't worry - I'll tell you. You're never going to be number one; you know that, don't you?" He broke away as Kacchan launched himself at Shinsou before making a series of quick diagonal dashes that meant when Kacchan pivoted back to rush him, Shinsou was already moving to get out of the way.

( _"Kacchan's strong, and smart-"_

_"He's a **bully**!" Todoroki snapped. "You've said enough **outright** about how he used to treat you to prove that, so you can imagine what I've come up with reading between the lines."_

_Midoriya shook his head, struggling for the words to explain that Kacchan was proud, and ambitious, and-_

_"What's the most heroic thing you've ever seen Bakugo do **other** than fighting villains?" Todoroki demanded._

_"You can't say someone isn't a hero just because I can't list off every act of heroism-"_

_"I asked for **one**."_)

"I hear it every day," Shinshou continued. " _You fucking nerd, I'll **kill** you!_" Midoriya gasped, and he saw Pro Heroes in the audience leaning closer, interested. Because Shinsou's voice had changed - not enough to fool Midoriya, who'd known Kacchan practically their whole lives - _years_ , anyway, but good enough Midoriya bet it would fool anyone else. Shinsou laughed. "Oh god, if you could see your _eyes_ , Kacchan-"

Shinsou had been watching Kacchan, but had wasted a moment just _looking_ without predicting, and got caught in a wide blast (Kacchan was learning, knowing large areas of effect were the best way to catch Shinsou). But Shinsou fell well, catching himself quickly enough to leap away from Kacchan's follow-up attack.

"You ignore him a lot, and I don't know if it's because you can't hear him over your own incoherent screaming or what," Shinsou said, back in his own voice, "so since I've got a captive audience, I'll remind you what our class vice-president has to say on the matter. _Don't you know it's unbecoming of a hero to act like this to your classmates, your colleagues?_ " And it was Iida, the same sharp, serious tones, and good enough that if Midoriya weren't watching Shinsou say the words, he might have thought it actually was Iida.

And all around the stadium, more people were perking up, because even ordinary people could recognize what these impersonations meant for someone with Shinsou's Quirk. If you were a villain, and heard your compatriots call out for help, of course you'd answer - or if you'd seen this, and knew what Shinsou was capable of, keep silent, unwilling to risk any exchange. You couldn't coordinate in the field, change plans, without risking the person you were talking to was actually Shinsou.

Kacchan threw out a pair of explosions that encompassed almost the entire field, and although Shinsou was a little scorched when he stood, rising from a crouch, he was still smiling.

"Of course, we all know what you'd say to that - you've said it every time we have team exercises. _I don't need anyone else's help to win, so stay out of my way, losers!_ Was that right? You'll tell me if I got it wrong, right?"

Midoriya was impressed; he'd never heard Kacchan stay quiet this long when someone was talking to him. He blasted the floor of the field, sending shards of concrete zipping at Shinsou along with the explosion, but Shinsou had somehow gotten behind him.

Was...Shinsou actually _getting_ to Kacchan? It seemed impossible; even furious, Kacchan could strategize incredibly quickly.

( _"He wants to be the Number One Hero!" Midoriya cried back. "That's-"_

 _"He wants to be the most famous hero. The wealthiest hero. He wants the rest of the world to validate his overblown ego. I've seen **first-hand** what sort of person lives like that."_)

"Do you think the teachers talk about you?" Shinsou asked. "In the break room or whatever? I can imagine - _Bakugo refuses assistance out of **principle** , even when it proves to his detriment. A rational hero would have learned otherwise by now._ Or do you think I got it wrong?"

"That Eraserhead impression was _spot-on_ , folks!" Present Mic announced.

"But he isn't your kind of hero, is he? You couldn't care less what a hero who sneaks around thinks about you. So what does All Might think about you? Do you ever wonder? Oh, I know what he'd say to other people - _Bakugo has a lot of spirit, and a lot of power. I know he has the makings of a great hero_." It shouldn't have been a surprise; there were enough audio samples that a dedicated impersonator could get a lot of practice - but Shinsou's All Might impression was _flawless_.

And Kacchan - stumbled. He blasted the ground to keep from falling, and turned it into a twisting leap that sent him flying at Shinsou, but _he was shaken_.

It was easy, after all, to ignore the dismissals of people you didn’t respect, but Midoriya knew well the devastation of someone you looked up to saying your dream was impossible. Midoriya would never forget hearing All Might say he could never be a hero without a Quirk.

“ _Young Bakugo is skilled - with his Quirk, his intelligence, and diligence, he can easily rise to become the Number Three Hero - or even Number Two. But not Number One. Never that._ ”

Midoriya grabbed the railings tight, shaking, as Bakugo rose with the aid of an explosion, and pointed both hands straight down. The blast rocked the stadium, not as powerful as when Uraraka had deliberately amplified it, but still massive; somehow, though, Shinsou’s voice mimicking All Might’s continued, even through the roar and dull ringing following the blast.

“ _He doesn’t understand what I mean when I say ‘I am here’, why it comforts people. I am here to remind innocent bystanders that someone is on their side - someone is in their corner. It’s about supporting people, backing them up. Young Bakugou doesn’t see that. He just sees the villain, the fight, his personal glory. I would trust Bakugo to fight the worst villains, but never to bring hope to anyone._ ”

Midoriya was shaking still - it wasn’t fair, saying these things where Kacchan couldn’t defend himself. Not because Kacchan cared what Shinsou was saying, but because the Pro Heroes watching - the people who could decide Kacchan’s future - did.

“ _I’ve seen how he treats his peers - he brings them nothing but despair. I’ve seen how he treats those he thinks are beneath him._ "

( _"That's not fair!" Midoriya yelled. "Uraraka wants to make money-"_

_"For her family - to **support** them!" Todoroki growled, frustrated. He took a deep breath, letting his hands fall to the table between them."_

_"Kacchan's gotten a lot better-" Midoriya started._

_"When he found out you had a Quirk," Tororoki replied, quiet. "Do you think someone like that can be expected to protect innocent bystanders?"_

_"Stop it! You can't just **say** stuff about Kacchan like that! You don't **understand**!"_)

“Leave Kacchan alone!” Midoriya screamed. “You can be a great hero, Kacchan, you know that, right?”

“SHUT UP, DEKU! I DON’T NEED YOU-“

Midoriya slapped his hands over his mouth, glancing between Tsu and Uraraka. They were staring at him, eyes wide. He pulled his hands away. "Did I-?"

"Your mouth didn't move, so unless you're really good at ventriloquism-" Tsu replied.

It was suddenly, blessedly silent. Down below, the smoke cleared. Kacchan and Shinsou were standing just a few feet apart. Kacchan was still, scowling, and Shinsou was smiling.

“You yelled at Midoriya - Deku, in case you’ve forgotten his real name for all the time you’ve called him that vile epithet - once for suggesting what your weakness is, but you’re oblivious to what your _real_ weakness is. I could have taunted you for hours and you would’ve stayed silent as the grave, but at the _suggestion_ that Midoriya felt sorry for you, you couldn’t help lashing out at him. Or, as it turns out, at me.”

But Kacchan was smart enough to watch Shinsou's mouth, once he'd realized the other boy could do passable impressions. It wouldn't have worked if Kacchan hadn't set off an explosion that covered the field in smoke, which meant - Shinsou was smart, too. He wouldn't have expected his mockery to get Kacchan to lose control and _talk_ , but he must have thought it was enough to get Kacchan to - blow up anyway.

“So here you are,” Shinsou said, “completely at my mercy. You’ve been here before, and I know you hate it. Walk with me." Shinsou walked to the long edge of the field and paused, just at the edge, and Kacchan joined him there, still silent. "I could make you step out of the field, just like I did Kaminari, and there's nothing you could do. But-“

Shinsou paused, and shrugged. “I don’t really want to fight Midoriya or Todoroki.” He turned to Kacchan and gave him a bright smile. “Smile, Kacchan. You won.”

And Shinsou stepped out of bounds.

"You fucking **loser** -" Kacchan screamed, lunging at Shinsou. But Cementoss must have expected something like this, because a wall was already rising between them.

( _"Don't you **get** it?" Todoroki snapped. "Every story you've told me about your childhood with him, everything I've seen of him, he's **no better than my father** , someone you said doesn't deserve to be called a hero! What could possibly-"_

_Todoroki paused, his expression smoothing out, though he was clearly still standing tense. It wasn't a **cold** expression, but it was neutral - not like when they'd first met, because Todoroki had been **hostile**._

_"It doesn't matter," he murmured. "I'll be better than him - that **both** of them - **without** my fire." He turned, walked to the door, and paused. "Just watch, Midoriya."_)

* * *

Todoroki spared the displays a glance when he stepped out into the field. From the screaming he'd heard, he'd presumed Bakugo had lost, but it turned out it was just Bakugo throwing some sort of tantrum.

He frowned, not caring that the monitors watching the field likely caught it. He was still off-balance from his realization that Midoriya was in love with Bakugo. He'd been shocked at first, but it was the only explanation; only love could so distract an otherwise brilliant mind from Bakugo's innumerable flaws. Plenty of men and women chose - and stayed with - partners who were abusive in all sorts of ways. Some had little choice, but others...Midoriya had probably spent so long idolizing Bakugo that the way Bakugo treated him seemed the way decent people treated each other.

And it was clear he would tolerate no criticism of his choice.

Well.

Todoroki tightened the fists at his side. If he - someone who didn't treat Midoriya like _trash_ \- proved himself a better hero than Bakugo, perhaps he'd understand how disastrous his choice was.

He looked down to find Midoriya climbing the steps to the battlefield. Todoroki grit his teeth and moved to his own side. A part of him was certain this would be a quick battle - they both knew Todoroki could freeze Midoriya so thoroughly any flame he had on his body would go out. But a more sensible part of his mind knew better. Midoriya had been watching all of them - he likely had strategies to fight any member of class 1-A.

It didn't change the fact that Todoroki's best chance was to end it quickly.

"The last round of the semi-finals pits Todoroki Shouto against Midoriya Izuku! The winner will go on to face Bakugo Katsuki for first place! And it looks like Midnight is ready to start! Let's watch in!"

"Alright!" Midnight called from the halfway point between them, "I want a clean fight - no one attacking each other after the match is over. Ready? _Begin_!"

Todoroki twisted his foot and the power within him. His right side cooled as his ice erupted from the ground, leaping toward Midoriya according to Todoroki's will. Midoriya was still, hands covering his mouth. Todoroki had no time to consider the reason for the strange action before he encased Midoriya in ice.

The crowd was quiet, waiting to hear Midnight's declaration, and Todoroki felt - satisfied. He'd expected some trick, but it was best he win quickly, so the use of his ice didn't give him frostbite, so he didn't reach the point he'd have to choose between using his fire or succumb to his own Quirk.

The ice cracked, pieces falling away from Midoriya as he stepped forward. Midoriya's hands were aflame, as was his face. Fire burned brightly along Midoriya's shoulders, arms, like some parody of Endeavor. Midoriya had used the fact Todoroki wasn't willing to risk suffocating him to nurture flame along the one place that would remain uncovered, even if Todoroki tried to freeze him in one shot.

Midoriya grinned. "You - didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" he asked.

Todoroki stepped forward, aiming to knock Midoriya out of the ring with the next mass of ice (requiring some more focus to make it a hammer instead of a web of spears). Midoriya, though, was running, dodged to the side of the first ice wall, and sprinted at Todoroki.

He was closer now, though, and Todoroki's control at this distance was greater. He threw up a wide wall of ice and slammed it into Midoriya, shoving it back. Midoriya punched through the ice two-thirds of the way across the field, now enshrouded entirely in flame. Still, it meant Todoroki could keep Midoriya from getting too close.

Todoroki clenched his right hand, his fingers stiff from the lingering chill. He flipped up his arm and used it to shoot a series of projectiles at Midoriya; Midoriya dodged most of them, but the ones that struck him shattered, the heat near him apparently intense enough to weaken them even if it couldn't melt them outright.

Midoriya dashed forward again, forcing Todoroki to set off another string of projectiles - larger ones, harder to melt - to keep him at a distance. It didn't work quite as well this time; Midoriya was watching Todoroki's right arm, giving him enough warning to dodge the attack. Todoroki twitched his leg to steady it and launched another massive wall - thicker this time - to shove Midoriya away. If it were thick enough to resist Midoriya's flame, maybe he could force Midoriya out before-

There was a massive crack, a sound that Todoroki felt in his bones, and an explosion of steam. Todoroki could feel the wall - it wasn't in one piece anymore. And then he saw Midoriya. The flames around Midoriya were yellow, bright, and, at the very boundary of the flame and Midoriya's body, pale blue. Todoroki flexed his arm, feeling some ice crack and fall away from his skin. The chill was deeper, more persistent, now.

Midoriya's gaze darted to Todoroki's right side, and remembering what Midoriya had told Todoroki about fire Quirks, he was certain Midoriya knew what the ice and pale blue shade of Todoroki's right side meant.

Still, Midoriya kept his distance. "You can't keep this up forever," he said. "I could just wait you out."

Todoroki sent a trio of small pillars of ice at Midoriya, each offset enough to force him to dodge around each individually, or risk punching through them again. But Midoriya was already moving, forcing Todoroki to change their trajectory to just clip Midoriya's side, sending him tumbling, but nowhere near what Todoroki had hoped. It was frustrating; he'd caught Midoriya a few times, but it seemed Midoriya was expecting him the second time he tried anything. Todoroki wondered, briefly, if Midoriya was somehow telepathic, as well, because the only way he could imagine Midoriya being able to avoid some of Todoroki's moves was if Midoriya _knew what Todoroki was doing_ -

Todoroki inhaled, a sharp shock to his chest as he thought-

Todoroki had to _move_ to control his ice, and knowing that, he'd learned to minimize the motions necessary to do so. But if _anyone_ would have noticed, learned to watch Todoroki closely enough to predict what he was doing, it would be Midoriya.

"Todoroki, you can't do this," Midoriya said.

"I can _win_ ," Todoroki growled. "Without using my fire."

Midoriya rushed at Todoroki; knowing Midoriya could anticipate any precision move, Todoroki threw up a rising wall of ice to slam into Midoriya from the side to knock him off his trajectory. Midoriya tumbled, and paused on catching himself, panting as he watched Todoroki from his crouch. He didn't even look bruised, while Todoroki's arm and leg were burning with cold, and the right side of his face completely numb. He could keep this up; he _had_ to.

"You're going to get frostbite," Midoriya said. "You could lose a finger - your whole _arm_!" He was frowning, one of his thoughtful frowns, although his eyes, framed in fire, were wide, wavering, and steam was rising from his cheeks.

Midoriya was _crying_. He was so worried about Todoroki he was-

"I know my limits," Todoroki growled. "I can keep going."

"You don't _have_ to!" Midoriya shouted back. "Your fire-"

" **I won't use it**!" Todoroki roared. He sent another wall of ice to knock Midoriya back, but couldn't make a thick wall, and Midoriya punched through it easily, steam rising away from him as he stepped forward. "I'll show him-"

"You have an amazing power!" Midoriya protested. "Your body's made to use it - both parts of it-"

Todoroki felt a rush of - panic or anger, he wasn't sure which ( _"You were made to surpass the Number One Hero, to be my legacy."_ ). " **Nobody** \- **_nothing_** \- can make me use it! It's-" He stumbled, whether from the growing threat of frostbite or the feeling he was standing at the edge of something, a yawning realization or-

"It's _your_ Quirk," Midoriya concluded. "Not your mother's, and not _his_. It's not something your parents _gave_ you - you don't owe them anything for being born with it."

"You're right," Todoroki agreed. He clenched his right fist as tightly as he could, trying to ignore the stinging, the pain. "I don't have to use it." He looked to Midoriya, hoping the other boy could see the determination in his gaze. "I don't have to give him the satisfaction." He slammed his foot against the ground, covering it in ice. Midoriya, unsurprisingly, hopped up enough to avoid it (although Todoroki was certain he could have freed himself regardless). Todoroki, though-

He stumbled. He'd thought he could handle this and a follow up, but…

His head swam, thoughts moving sluggishly, his entire right side numb with cold.

 _Fuck_.

A haze settled around Todoroki, his vision darkening. Any moment now he'd hear Midnight declare Midoriya the winner, and Todoroki would-

A sharp pain, like burning needles, danced all along Todoroki's right side. He didn't think he'd ever pushed himself this far, so for a brief moment, wondered if he was dying. But then the pain was followed by a wash of warmth, the cold of Todoroki's Quirk receding. His vision brightened and cleared, and Todoroki found himself on his hands and knees, shivering as flames flickered along his right side. He flinched, once, before he realized the fire didn't hurt. It vanished after a moment, and Todoroki's mind, still slow from overuse of his Quirk, caught up to current events.

"Midoriya?"

"The fight isn't over yet," Midoriya said, giving Todoroki a wide smile - eyes bright.

"Apparently, Midoriya is helping his opponent get back into the fight? This is a surprising turn of events!"

"What?" Todoroki glanced to the side; Midnight appeared to be swooning, moved, he supposed, by Midoriya - what - refusing to take the win? "Why-"

"You're right," Midoriya said. "It's your choice how you use your Quirk. It was - unfair of me to try to make you use it."

"You…" It was - ridiculous, senseless, _stupid_ , but also so like _Midoriya_ , that Todoroki laughed. "It's not a good idea to let villains get up because you feel bad about how you beat them, Midoriya-kun."

Midoriya's smile brightened, eyes glimmering with tears, and Todoroki felt a sudden unsteadiness in his chest.

"You're not a villain," Midoriya replied. He stood and took a step back. His body was still wreathed in flames (flames that could burn, but flames that could soothe. If Endeavor's fire was anything like Midoriya's, it was telling of his character that he'd never used it that way); they were, after all, still in a fight. "You're my friend."

The warm feeling in Todoroki's chest vanished, replaced by a knot, or tightness - a sour feeling to his thoughts. "That doesn't mean much; you'll be friends with anyone."

"W - what? I wouldn't-" Midoriya's smile vanished, face settling to something neutral, not quite a frown, but. "You're talking about Kacchan."

Todoroki felt a spike of anger, and because this was still a fight, a _battle_ , he struck out, finding his ice responding as easily as if it were the beginning of the fight - the beginning of the **day** \- and exploding toward Midoriya. He couldn't freeze Midoriya, not without risking his life, but he could hit Midoriya with enough power to throw him out of the ring. He heard shouts from the audience, but Todoroki was certain he hadn't done enough to _hurt_ anyone.

Todoroki waited; there was no shout from Midnight, so the round wasn't over, but where did that put Midoriya?

Midoriya vaulted over the pinnacle of Todoroki's ice and began hopping down toward Todoroki; where his feet touched, the ice steamed and gave way to give him stable footing (he must have climbed the ice that way). "I get that you don't _like_ Kacchan-"

"It's not that!" Todoroki slammed his foot against the ground again, sending ice, more tightly controlled, racing up the mountain as Midoriya climbed down. Midoriya punched the leading edge, causing an explosion of steam. "It's that you - keep treating him like he's worth so much more than he is - telling people he's better than he'll ever be. You call him _Kacchan_ , and he calls you **worthless**!"

Midoriya smashed through the outer layer of ice and completed his descent in a quick hop to the ground. He shook his head, face set in - focus, determination, brow furrowed, and Todoroki felt - not quite hope, but he'd expected Midoriya to defend Bakugo automatically. Midoriya looked like he was _thinking_ , though.

"You said he doesn't deserve to be called a hero-"

"And he _doesn't_. Not in any way that matters. Shinsou said you told him...we shouldn't have called this job 'hero', that it gives equal worth to people who just fight villains and those who devote themselves to improving the lives of others." Todoroki scowled. "I hate to say it, but Bakugo _will_ be good at fighting villains."

"Then what-"

" ** _But he doesn't deserve your affection_**!" Todoroki shoved a wall of ice at Midoriya, hoping Midoriya didn't see the tears gathered in his eyes. It was - embarrassing, _weak_ , how this affected Todoroki, but he was certain he wouldn't be this angry if it weren't clear how much Midoriya cared for Bakugo, and how little Bakugo cared for him in return. _Obviously_ he couldn't blame a person for not returning Midoriya's feelings, but to view such a brave, selfless boy with nothing but _contempt_ -

Midoriya smashed through the wall; Todoroki winced, bracing himself for the anger, confusion, _disgust_. But Midoriya was - looking at Todoroki, intense, not frowning, but _thoughtful_. "Are you...jealous?"

" _No_!" Todoroki barely had time for _friends_ , much less romance. "It's just - you're _better_ than him - in every way that matters; seeing you think there's anything about him you should - admire, or aspire to - makes me sick." Midoriya stepped back, lip quivering.

"Todoroki-kun-"

"Telling me he's worth looking up to because he's smart, and powerful, and wants to defeat villains - all I hear is that people like my father can be _excused_ their depravities if they're high-ranking heroes." Todoroki blinked, surprised to find his eyes blurry - _wet_. He swiped at them with his left hand (the only time he'd use his left side this battle) and slapped his hand toward Midoriya, an indiscriminate spray of ice to give Todoroki just a moment to ground himself, so he could _fight_. 

Midoriya's own flame turned most of the projectiles to steam, giving him a moment of cover. But Midoriya was surrounded by a corona of flame, making him easy to pinpoint. And the remnants of Todoroki's prior attacks left Midoriya with little room to retreat, anyway.

Todoroki wasn't cold anymore. Catching sight of a flicker of red and yellow, he slammed his foot down to box him and Midoriya within a tower of ice. Midoriya turned, hands up to attack, but he didn't have space to maneuver, and Todoroki felt refreshed, invigorated - _determined_. He'd beat Midoriya, and beat Bakugo, _on his own terms_.

Todoroki twitched his foot, twisted his right hand, and _pushed_. He'd done this before, which meant he could do it again. He'd been at point-blank range, then, too, where he had the greatest control.

And to his direction, ice flowed from Todoroki, thick, sturdy, so it wouldn't melt as it passed near Midoriya's flame. Still, the layer nearest Midoriya melted to steam and water, and that, along with the ice behind it, pressing closer, doused the flames all along Midoriya's body, allowing the ice to bond to his clothing, his skin, holding him in place. He made sure to freeze Midoriya's hands in place, first, and finally created a thin film to cover Midoriya's head, and face. It melted almost immediately, but the steam and condensation did its work, so when the steam cleared, Midoriya was motionless within a pillar of ice, no fire to be seen.

"And the audience is waiting with bated breath - to see the outcome of this intense battle, which is now encased in ice!"

Todoroki glanced at the wall surrounding them, and the small mountain of melting ice beyond that, and huffed - not quite a laugh, his chest was still heavy from the stress of their argument.

"Um! I'm definitely immobilized!" Midoriya shouted. "It'll take a bit to get this ice out of here, though!" He twisted a little against the ice before laughing. "Less if you let me out of here," he added, to Todoroki.

"Oh! Certainly." Todoroki stepped next to Midoriya and pressed his left hand against the ice, applying heat to melt it.

In the moment of relative silence (it was hard to hear the crowd in their insulated space), Midoriya murmured, "If you don't want to use your fire to attack people, that's - I understand it. But keeping yourself from hurting yourself with your Quirk-"

"I think we've talked enough about my Quirk today," Todoroki said. He turned as the last of the ice faded from Midoriya, raising his hand to the ice wall.

It was quiet for a moment before Midoriya spoke up again.

"I'm sorry if I made you think - I looked up to Bakugo more than you. That I thought he was a better friend than you. He isn't. You're a better friend than he is. And - you'll probably be a better hero, too."

In the end, the only way for Todoroki to beat Bakugo was to use his fire to attack, and - he wasn't ready to do that. So Bakugo won, and raged, certain Todoroki had conspired to deny him a legitimate victory, while Todoroki stood on the second-place podium, and Midoriya and Shinsou a step below, Midoriya sniffling through the closing ceremonies.

And objectively, Todoroki knew that the day was a failure. He'd lost, proving his ice alone wasn't enough to beat Bakugo _or_ Midoriya. He'd failed to prove anything to his father, and doubted he'd made a real impression on sponsors - he'd needed Midoriya's help to _survive_ their fight.

But somehow, he still felt like he'd won.

And, buoyed by the promise that Todoroki was _better_ than Bakugo, that neither his Quirk nor his body were his father's, Todoroki decided to do something he'd never had the courage to do before.

If Todoroki's mother couldn't bring herself to see him again, it wasn't _his_ fault. But Todoroki wanted the chance to tell her he didn't believe what had happened to him was _her_ fault, either.

* * *

"Ohashi-san?"

Native opened his eyes, finding his vision - blurred, for a moment. It was bright here, brighter than what he last remembered. It had been dark, shadowed, a grinning, bloodied face ( _Native's_ blood smeared around the mouth) looking down at him.

Now there was a dog's face, black-and-tan, looking down at him from a human height. "Do you know who I am, Ohashi-san?"

"Tsura-" Native coughed, blood splattering across the white sheets covering his body. His throat raw and scratched, Native croaked out, "Police."

"Yes. I am the chief of police. I was called because the nature of your wounds have led us to suspect you were attacked by the Hero Killer."

Native nodded. He hadn't been looking for the Hero Killer; knowing the villain had taken out _Hawks_ hadn't left Native eager to risk himself. It was bad luck he'd run into the man while on patrol through a dark area of Hosu.

"Good." The chief pulled a chair closer and sat next to Native's bed. "You see, you're the first hero who's encountered the Hero Killer and lived. Which means you have a unique opportunity to help us with our investigations. What can you tell us?"

"Blood," Native replied; his throat spasmed as he tried to continue.

"Blood? We're aware his victims all died from blood loss, primarily from wounds caused by edged weapons or some puncturing Quirk."

Edged weapons...Native nodded, reaching up to his throat, which was covered in bandages.

"You were in surgery for some time," the chief said. "The doctors said - well, it's a miracle you survived until the paramedics got to you."

A miracle?

( _A face looked down at Native, framed by distant streetlights, dark, with hazel eyes glittering like gems in the darkness. "Don't worry," a man's voice spoke, not accented so much as speaking in a strange rhythm, "You've got some nasty injuries, but you'll be alright as long as I am here."_

_"But-" Native protested, "That man-"_

_The man above Native laughed, one hand tapping his chest while the other remained on Native's shoulder. "Oh, don't you worry about him. He might feel big enough to kill heroes like Hawks, but he knows better than to cross **me**."_)

"Yeah. A miracle."


	9. Of Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wake of the Sports Festival, Class 1-A picks their hero names - and the heroes they'll be shadowing.

" _ **Fuck no**_!" Bakugo roared at the rest of the class. Midoriya twitched, which made Shinsou's hand clench where it sat in his lap. But everyone else had their attention on Bakugo, who had responded predictably when Kirishima had suggested his hero name be 'Kacchan'.

"It's better than 'Lord Explosion Murder'," Midnight offered.

"And what's wrong with _that_?" Bakugo snarled at her.

And Midnight straightened, folding her arms in front of her, her expression becoming - serious. Stern. "There's more to being a hero than strength. No matter how powerful you are, you _can't_ become Number One without public acclaim. And that means your name - your persona - has to appeal to the masses. Yes, some heroes have dangerous-sounding names, but usually ones that evoke a sense of retribution or justice - to give the public the sense that no matter how dangerous the hero is, that power is directed at villains, _never_ at them. I will admit, 'Kacchan' doesn't quite fit - no matter how approachable your name sounds, it won't trick people into thinking you're _friendly_." She gave Bakugo a gentle smile. "So how about you sit down and try to think of a - more appealing name?" Her smile was suddenly sharp. "Or we might just name you 'Kacchan' after all."

Bakugo stormed back to his seat, muttering, but Midnight was already scanning the class again. "Who's next?" she asked. Iida snapped his hand up. "Excellent! Come on up!"

Iida did, his writing board held close to his chest, and Shinsou found himself curious. Iida idolized his brother Ingenium, so it was possible he would pick something to bring that name to mind, like Kirishima's choice of Red Riot.

Iida bowed to the class. "I have been thinking deeply on what sort of hero I want to be - what I aspire to be as a hero. During the villain attack on the USJ, Thirteen made me realize how much bystanders rely on us to be there. So I chose - First Responder!"

"Oh, wow!" Midnight cheered. "That really brings your speed to mind, and 'Responder' makes you sound dynamic and active! Great choice! Now who's next?"

Shinsou took a breath and raised his hand. He hadn't gotten a better idea yet, and he doubted he would just sitting here.

"Alright, come up, Shinsou."

He heard a muttered curse from Bakugo, although that might have just been Bakugo struggling for a hero name that Midnight would approve. Shinsou strode to the front of the room and turned. "I came up with - the Voice Hero, Siren."

"Sirens _do_ have an alluring voice," Midnight said, tapping at her chin. "And a siren is a warning, a sign that help is coming. I _like_ it!"

"Yeah!" Ashido cried. "Lure bad guys to their doom with your voice!" A few other students joined in, and Shinsou felt a flush on his cheeks as he retreated to his seat. He'd gotten used to his classmates recognizing his Quirk itself wasn't evil, but their acclaim was something...unusual. He didn't know how to feel about it - Kirishima had greeted him the first day of class after the Sports Festival with a fist-bump, a congratulations for beating Bakugo (no one knew better than his peers that Shinsou hadn't given up for fear of not being able to beat Bakugo). And Bakugo himself - he gave Shinsou a wide berth. Shinsou wasn't certain if it was respect, fear, or what, but it made him feel - bigger. Less uncertain about his place in the world of heroics.

Bakugo stabbed his writing board, and when it snapped, demanded a replacement from Kirishima. As Bakugo wasn't about to contribute, Todoroki stood and took his place at the front of the room. This, too, Shinsou watched with interest. Todoroki might be his father's son, but his refusal to use his Quirk's flame in battle, his reserved nature, everything about him, distanced him from Endeavor. And so he wondered if Todoroki would pick a name to remind people of their connection, or further distinguish himself.

"Freeze Tag."

The response was complete silence - shocked, Shinsou guessed, at such a - whimsical name.

And then Sero burst out laughing. " _Brilliant_ , dude!" At the obvious confusion of his classmates, Sero bolted up to the front of the room to sketch out Todoroki's name - 'Shouto', erase the first kanji, and write out - 'freeze tag', not the foreign sound of English, but proper Japanese. And it _was_ brilliant - if out of character for how light-hearted the name was.

Or, Shinsou amended, as he saw a tiny smile quirk along Todoroki's mouth, unlike how _Shinsou_ had come to see him.

"You're right, it's very clever. But it's a - fun name, not a serious one," Midnight said. "I don't think you should have a name like that if you can't give us a smile."

"Yeah, give us a big, All-Might-sized smile," Uraraka called.

Todoroki stiffened, a little, and Shinsou wouldn't have been surprised if Todoroki frowned out of reflex. But he looked toward Shinsou's side of the room, and his expression - saying it transformed seemed unfair, because Todoroki wasn't emotionless. But the smile that graced Todoroki's face was gentle, sincere - unfamiliar lines tugging along his face, and his eyes bright, not looking away or down.

...Everyone called Todoroki the prettiest guy in their class, but Shinsou hadn't really gotten it. Not until he saw Todoroki smile.

Shinsou felt a moment of panic when he realized Todoroki was looking in his direction. He was _not_ ready to deal with that sort of thing.

But Todoroki wasn't quite looking at Shinsou; he was looking slightly in front of him at-

Well, Shinsou _had_ to think it was Midoriya, because the thought of anyone looking at Bakugo with that sort of tenderness made Shinsou feel vaguely queasy.

But then the moment was gone, Todoroki returning to his seat, and Midnight looking to Bakugo and Midoriya. "Alright, boys, let's see what you've got."

Midoriya stood, but Bakugo shoved him back. "Out of the way, Deku," Bakugo grumbled. He slammed his board on the teaching podium. "Okay, brace yourself, losers. The next Number One Hero - **Shrapnel**!"

"Hm, it's still a little - abrasive," Midnight offered.

Bakugo slammed his (Kirishima's) board against the podium; the board snapped. "What the fuck would _you_ pick, then?" he demanded.

Midnight took a step back, frowning thoughtfully as she stared at Bakugo. She stepped around him, a slow circuit, expression still, unmoved. "As much as you might want a 'cool' name, we can't have one that draws attention to your more...unpredictable tendencies. If it were up to me, I'd go with...Triumph."

Bakugo was scowling, hands gripping the podium, but after a moment, his stance eased, scowl giving way to - it _might_ have been a smile.

"Triumph? Yeah - that's pretty awesome." He smirked, and slammed his palm against the podium. "Remember that name, nerds, because Triumph's gonna be-"

"Thank you, Bakugo," Midnight said. "We've got one student left. Back to your seat."

"Yeah, one left," Bakugo said. He pointed at Midoriya, expression morphing to its familiar sneer. "You're not going to top a name like 'Triumph', Deku. Just remember that."

"Yeah, but we're always going to know you didn't come up with the idea yourself," Shinsou said. "Just like you only won the Sports Festival because I let you." He grinned in the face of Bakugo's resulting scowl, knowing Bakugo wouldn't do anything worse than yell at him - _couldn't_ do anything worse than that.

"Shut the fuck up, nerd," Bakugo growled, dropping into his chair, and, by all appearances, ignoring the rest of the class.

Midoriya stood, shaking a little, but seemed to have steadied himself by the time he reached the front of the room. "Um." He tapped his fingers against his board. "I - wanted a name that really, um, inspires hope when people hear it. But also something that gives an idea what I can _do_ \- I know it's a little old-fashioned, but I think it's _good_ to know what a hero who shows up can do. Like 'Freeze Tag' - that's Todoroki-kun's signature move. And Charge Bolt really describes what Kaminari-kun does. But-"

"I think we'd like to hear your idea, Midoriya," Midnight prompted.

"Oh! O - kay." Midoriya flipped his board. " _Firebird_."

"Why not something like Phoenix?" Midnight asked. "Firebird is a little - generic."

"Actually," Yaoyorozu said, "Igor Stravinsky's 'The Firebird' tells the story of a boy who enlists the help of the titular firebird to defeat an immortal sorcerer. The ballet is famous, and I would suggest 'Firebird' would bring to mind a relentless enemy against evil, and a loyal defender."

The class was quiet in the wake of Yaororozu's analysis, at least until Sero blurted, "That is _so cool_."

"Yeah, but it might make people think Midoriya can fly," Tsu said.

"Maybe," Ojiro agreed. "But Midoriya does this _awesome_ thing when he's on fire. When he moves really quickly, his arms get this trail like-"

"Wings of flame," Todoroki said. "I think it's an appropriate name."

Midoriya _beamed_ , which Shinsou got. Midoriya liked nothing better than approval, and from someone as cool as Todoroki, well.

With that done, Aizawa-sensei brought them to the next order of business, which ruined Shinsou's mood. Because he'd had hopes of distinguishing himself in the Sports Festival, of attracting the attention of his _own_ hero.

But not anymore.

Hawks was dead at the hands of the Hero Killer, a villain who left his victims broken and bleeding, who likely had access to a paralysis Quirk, and was _still at large_. He'd attacked Native, a lesser-known hero who was nevertheless the only one of the Hero Killer's victims to survive. And it left Shinsou - anxious. Talking about internships, working under real heroes, all Shinsou could think about was that there was someone out there killing heroes, someone no other hero had been able to stop.

Shinsou had received offers - offers from hero agencies he regularly saw in the news - people he'd dreamed of working with since his Quirk had manifested. People who could help him make his name. 

But all Shinsou could think about was...

Well, there'd been talk, after the third or fourth of the Hero Killer's victims, about what they had in common. And there were - similarities. None were _unknown_ \- they were all visible, present. And there were - questions about them. Rumors. Accusations. Even Native - well, he didn't have the most sensitive costume, and was unapologetic about it.

So among the forums Shinsou frequented, there'd been suggestions that the Hero Killer had seen something rotten in the world of heroes, and was doing something about it. Violently, terribly, but-

They were doing something no one else cared about, or was capable enough to do.

Or would be, if they hadn't killed Hawks, hadn't done so gruesomely, the scene plastered across the internet even though the police had tried to censor them, keep the public from seeing such graphic images.

Shinsou would have agreed the Hero Killer should be stopped when he believed the Hero Killer was executing some form of twisted justice against heroes who used their fame as the cover for - well, being like Bakugo. But knowing they'd attacked a _real_ hero - someone who understood that there was a goal to heroism, a distant, impossible goal, but one to work for, to aim for?

They had to _go down_. And Shinsou was certain there was no one better than him to do it.

* * *

Endeavor was trying to make a point, Todoroki was sure. He probably believed that by not extending an offer to Todoroki (by not, as Todoroki had expected, simply commanding Todoroki to show up on the first day of his internship), he was making Todoroki reflect on his mistakes. That at the end of the week, he would crawl back to his father, expressing remorse at having disobeyed him, begging forgiveness and promising to train until he could use his fire as well as Endeavor did.

And that left Todoroki with a choice - not as many as Shinsou, who practically had his pick of agencies to work with - but enough (more than _Bakugo_ , who had **one** ). He was surprised to see Ingenium on his list; he would have thought Iida Tensei would favor his own brother. There were others, too, and it would be easy to just pick one that would appreciate his skills.

But. Midnight was right that Todoroki's hero name suggested a more - sociable person. If Todoroki really wanted to be Freeze Tag, he needed a different sort of training. He needed someone more like Midoriya…

His gaze stopped when he saw a - familiar name. 

'Visage'.

One of the top twenty, a popular, well-liked hero. The occasional subject of Endeavor's rants about heroes who cared more about rescuing kittens from trees than 'real work'.

Todoroki wrote 'Visage' in his top choice, and then, following it, put 'Ingenium'. For his third choice, he thought, briefly, before writing in 'Best Jeanist'. There were few heroes who understood the importance of image better than Best Jeanist - even if he was...eccentric.

In the end, when they got their results the Friday before their internships were to start, Todoroki got his first choice.

"So who'd you get?" Kirishima asked of Bakugo, twisting around to look at his reporting instructions.

"None of your damn business," Bakugo snarled, crumpling the paper.

"Yes!" Uraraka cheered. "I got Gunhead!"

"Really?" Tsu asked. "I wouldn't think you'd be interested-"

"No, it makes sense," Midoriya cut in. "Uraraka's Quirk requires her to touch her target - the ability to fight well hand-to-hand, especially when it comes to closing in on a target, is invaluable. In addition, she can't be certain a villain will be defeated easily just by making them weightless - she needs a way to counter them if they prove maneuverable even when floating. Is that it?" he asked.

"Uh - yeah!" Uraraka agreed, nodding. "And what about you, _Firebird_?"

"Oh! Um." He bit his lip, looking at his feet. "I got only a few offers, and none of them seemed like the right fit. But." He muttered something, and Todoroki felt his chest seize up, because he _couldn't_ have heard what he thought he had.

"Endeavor?" Uraraka asked. " _Really_?"

"Yeah," Midoriya replied. "He _is_ the Number Two hero, and - I could use some pointers how to use fire in hero work."

Todoroki snorted; Endeavor didn't give _pointers_. He taught by example, usually, in Todoroki's experience, by using his son as the target.

Midoriya glanced at Todoroki, hands clenched around his instructions, eyes wide, and, Todoroki thought he noticed, _shaking_. "You-"

"I'm working with Visage," Todoroki said, cutting off whatever Midoriya was going to say.

"And what about you, Shinsou-chan?" Tsu asked.

Shinsou shrugged. "Manual," he said. Midoriya's face wrinkled in confusion, in thought, Todoroki supposed. Because Shinsou, after demonstrating an amazing Quirk for incapacitating villains, had gone on to show off incredible battlefield awareness, the ability to hold his own in hand-to-hand combat, a talent for mimicry, and sufficient grasp of psychology to manipulate even a person who _knew_ his Quirk to get caught in it. He'd received the most offers in the class, as heroes scrambled to see if Shinsou was the asset he'd presented himself as.

"Oh, is there a particular reason you chose him?" Midoriya asked. "Manual doesn't get a lot of attention, but every hero has their strengths, and-"

"Midoriya?" Shinsou cut in. "I'm a little tired, okay?"

"Oh." Midoriya's mouth snapped shut, and he nodded. "Sorry. Um. Good luck!" Aizawa-sensei dismissed them at that point, and Midoriya all but fled. It left Todoroki's throat tense, his stomach troubled. He sort of wanted to yell at Shinsou; he'd _seen_ the hint of tears in Midoriya's eyes as he'd left. But he wasn't sure Midoriya wasn't upset with him, too.

He wasn't sure he wasn't upset with Midoriya, himself. So he left it alone, still unsure how to approach the people he'd started to think of as friends, until that Sunday, when he went to see his mother. It was his second visit since - she'd gone to the hospital, and he still didn't know how to feel, how to act. They'd both apologized to each other, and they'd talked, blandly, about the weather.

But when he settled and his mother looked to him, and asked how his classes were, he felt the tightness rising back up, and knew he had to get free of it.

"We're starting internships with Pro Heroes next week," he said.

"Oh." His mother drew back, her hands twisting in her lap. "I suppose your father-"

"He didn't invite me to join him," Todoroki said. "I - I told you about Midoriya, in the Sports Festival. He told me it was okay if I never used fire in battle, if I never wanted to use it to hurt people. So I didn't. I haven't. He...invited Midoriya to join him. Midoriya agreed."

Todoroki's mother didn't speak, and as the silence stretched out, Todoroki found himself panicking. He'd somehow offended Midoriya, and now his _mother_?

"You're upset," she said softly. Gently. And at that tone, Todoroki just jerked his head into a nod, relieved she didn't sound angry. "With Midoriya?"

" _No_!" Todoroki burst out. "He's - he spends all his time studying heroes and Quirks. Even though he knows - what Endeavor is like - I know he wants to see him using his Quirk up close. I understand."

"Then with your father?"

Todoroki opened his mouth to respond, before letting it close again. _Was_ he upset with Endeavor?

Maybe.

He probed at his own feelings. He didn't think he was - jealous, or feeling _abandoned_ or anything; his father's indifference was the nearest thing he had to peace. But the thought of Midoriya spending a week with Endeavor left Todoroki feeling - _sick_.

"I don't want - Midoriya shouldn't be around Endeavor. He-"

Endeavor ruined things. Endeavor ruined _people_. Midoriya didn't deserve that.

"Shouto." He started at the voice - at his _name_. His mother was smiling at him, still gentle. "Is Midoriya a cruel person?"

"No, of course not. He - he's wanted to be a hero _forever_. He's watched them his whole life, wants to be like All Might-"

"Strong?" his mother asked.

"No, he wants to be - he wants to be the sort of hero that makes people feel safe."

"So do you think - that Endeavor could change him, to make him see things _Endeavor's_ way - in just one week?"

"I...no," Todoroki whispered. "But - I still don't want…" He trailed off, unable to explain the lingering fear that somehow, just being near Endeavor would - ruin everything, the small bubble of happiness Todoroki had. Maybe Midoriya would see enough of Endeavor's character to realize what Todoroki had in common with his father. Maybe-

A thousand maybes flooded his thoughts, fighting for attention, and Todoroki sobbed, a shuddering, whispered sound (because heroes didn't cry). His mother reached out, pulled him close, and, after only a moment's pause, rested a hand along the left side of his head. It was cool, whether because of her Quirk or just because most people's skin was cooler than Todoroki's left side, he didn't know. They spent most of the rest of his visit like that, and when Todoroki left, he felt.

Not better, certainly. Not less worried.

But.

Midoriya was smart. He was kind. He hadn't let a childhood spent in Bakugo's presence beat him down, leave him cold; a week with Endeavor wouldn't do the same. And beyond that - he had to trust his friend.

Endeavor ignored Todoroki for most of the weekend, not even acknowledging him when Todoroki left for his first day with Visage. Visage worked in the western portion of Tokyo - an area usually a little quieter than central Tokyo, or even Musutafu - so Todoroki took the train. He had his hero costume in its case - he'd requested an upgrade after the Sports Festival, something that didn't feel - that didn't restrict him, if he decided to use his fire, and that didn't make him look so-

Cold.

It was simple, little more than a jacket and pants, with a utility belt for such tools as medical supplies (even _Endeavor_ kept such supplies on him).

It suited him, he thought. Endeavor had to be seen, had to be recognized. Todoroki didn't need that.

Visage's agency wasn't much more than an office in a multi-suite building - a door with 'Visage Hero Agency' set on it within a sliding nameplate frame. Plain, unassuming. It probably didn't cost much; even the nameplate itself looked cheap. Used to his father's wealth, to even the high-tech, fancy facilities at U.A., Todoroki felt disconcerted. But then the door swung open to reveal the office. Most of it was a cozy waiting area, low chairs set along the wall, a box of toys and games set in one corner, a television playing some talk show. There was another door on the right wall, with a button next to it. 'Ring for service' it read. Todoroki stepped up to the button and pressed it. A smooth, two-toned ring sounded, muffled through the door.

"That's not really necessary - I'm right here."

Todoroki didn't jump, didn't yell. He did stiffen, running his mind backward through the last few moments to understand how he'd let someone sneak up on him. He turned, cautious, right hand out. There was no one behind him.

"Hey, kid, calm down." The voice was - not quite familiar, but not strange.

"Shinsou?"

"Who?" There was a moment of quiet, and then a quiet laugh. "Oh, _man_." There was someone in front of Todoroki, someone who hadn't been there before (or had there? Todoroki was good at noting when a room was occupied; it was a necessary skill in Endeavor's household). They were wider than Todoroki, and - soft, a little fat. Black hair, a little wild, like Midoriya's, puffed away from their head down to their shoulders, and within the frame of that round face was a smile, bright, with a gap between the front teeth, eyes a dark brown, almost black. They wore a long, loose green coat over a blue jumpsuit (it looked a little like U.A.'s hero uniform, absent the white highlights), and a shirt with a hood bunched just beneath their chin.

"Sorry about that! I keep my mask up around the office unless I'm expecting someone, which I was, but I was also trying to avoid my neighbor - you actually don't want to hear about that, do you?" They stuck out a long-fingered hand. "Izaki Ai, although you'll be calling me 'Visage' out in the field. Which is presuming you're Todoroki Shouto, which I think you must be, unless someone with a shapeshifting or illusion Quirk snuck in here."

"Yes, I am." Todoroki felt a little bit in a daze; listening to Visage speak was a little like being around Midoriya. It wasn't quite the same; Visage didn't seem to be as invested in thinking about Quirks as Midoriya, but that tendency to forget themselves and just keep on talking was familiar.

While Todoroki had been thinking, Visage took his hand and shook it once. As Visage stepped back, Todoroki, remembering himself, offered a bow.

"It's an honor to meet you, Izaki-san."

"Oh, don't bother with that! Visage is fine. You'll want to get used to that. Eventually, even the most famous heroes will be your peers, and these names - our hero names - will be the easiest way to speak to each other. But it's understandable; the first time I met All Might in the field I called him 'All Might-sama', and he hasn't let me forget it since."

"Ah. Okay."

Visage paused, glancing at Todoroki, and clicked their tongue. "You're the quiet type, aren't you?"

"S - sort of. I wanted to change that. I admire your work, Visage-"

"Hm." The sound was short, and had just enough annoyance that Todoroki knew to stop speaking immediately. He bit his lip, waiting for - not necessarily an explosion, but. 

Consequences.

"Well, come on. We'll get the paperwork out of the way first; I've always said, paperwork first, and then you can complain about it after."

Todoroki remained in place as Visage headed toward the second door, with the buzzer, until the Pro Hero pulled the door open and paused, turning back at him. "Well? Come on. We've got a lot of work to do."

"Oh. Sorry." Todoroki followed Visage into their office, pulling the door closed behind them. Whatever Visage had thought about Todoroki's comment, they'd apparently let it go. Or, rather, he thought, eyeing the closed door, didn't want to risk clients seeing their reaction. He tried to gauge if Visage were the sort to want an apology right away, or if they wanted to tell Todoroki first what he'd done wrong.

They were digging through one of four filing cabinets set about the room, small but not feeling it, with a small half-desk set next to Visage's chair, a squashed green couch across from it, and the filing cabinets. One small window was set high up against the wall, but the room was lit with a warm light, and the walls covered in picture frames. Not pictures of Visage posing with other heroes, or the people they'd rescued, in fact, almost no pictures of Visage at all. Some were of families, or individual people, a girl hugging a dog, both smiling at the camera; others were pictures - children's scrawls, sketches, and an oil painting nearly hidden by the other frames. The _drawings_ , Todoroki realized, were where the pictures of Visage were.

Todoroki wasn't certain how he felt about it; he wasn't certain what the pictures were _saying_.

So he looked back at Visage, who had pulled out two folders, setting one down on their own desk before flipping out a folding table from behind one of the cabinets.

They were waiting for Todoroki to speak, he decided.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, Visage," Todoroki said.

"What?"

"I wasn't thinking about what I said earlier, so-"

"Offended?" Visage asked, voice slow, _uncertain_. "What would I have to be offended about?"

"I...I'm afraid I don't know," Todoroki replied. "But you were upset-"

Visage huffed and sat down onto their chair. "You could tell, huh?" They waved at the couch. "Go on, sit down. Take the table with you; we've both got to fill stuff out." They waited until Todoroki sat, gingerly setting himself at the edge of the couch before speaking again. "I'm not mad at you, kid. You're what, sixteen?" Todoroki nodded. "I was just - surprised that you said that. I wouldn't expect your father to have much to say about me that would paint me in a good light."

"I'm not my father," Todoroki said.

"Oh, don't I know it!" Visage chuckled. "Freeze Tag? I almost _killed_ myself laughing when I saw that." They pressed their lips together, although the motion didn't do much to hide their smile. "But you're right. I shouldn't be surprised you've got a mind of your own. We all do - and I saw enough of you in the Sports Festival to know you use it to think for yourself."

"What-" Todoroki jerked his head away, unwilling to voice the question. It wasn't his place to ask, and it sounded - presumptuous, or like he was fishing for compliments.

But Visage seemed to know what he'd been asking. "You never used the 'hot' part of your Quirk. You had a reason for that, even though I know Endeavor wouldn't be happy with it. And your friend, Midoriya - he warmed you up so you could keep fighting."

Todoroki shook his head. "That doesn't have anything to do with me; Midoriya would do that for anyone-"

"But you _let him help you_ ," Visage cut in. "It means you don't have your father's pride, even though you have every reason to. A powerful Quirk can make someone hard. I...think you might understand that."

"No." Todoroki surprised himself with the sharpness of his voice; Visage jerked back a little, surprised, too, he guessed. "A Quirk doesn't make someone hard. No Quirk can make someone a worse person than they are - or a better one." He took in a breath at the end of that, realizing this was _much_ more than he'd intended to say to Visage.

But at last, Visage nodded. "You're an interesting kid, Freeze Tag. So tell me - what do you want to get out of this internship?"

"I...want to be the sort of hero who makes people feel better for being there. I need to learn-"

"How to be 'Freeze Tag' instead of an ice king," Visage concluded. "Well. I can work with that - as long as you're willing to listen. Some people say they want to learn how to talk to people, but get defensive when you point out how they make people feel."

"People already say I'm - cold, and aloof," Todoroki replied. "So I'd - like to know if I can be different."

"Good!" Visage said. "Then first step - fill out your paperwork _first_ , so you aren't distracted worrying about it later!"

* * *

At the end of a long day, Re-Destro would retire to his rooms and read through the secret history of Quirks. His father and his father's acolytes had scoured the world for the secrets bound within these books, and Re-Destro had grown up hearing the histories as bedtime stories.

_"There have always been people with Quirks, Rikiya-kun, did you know that?"_

_"Yeah!" he'd exclaim. "Like Sarutobi Sasuke, Susanoo, um, Heracles…"_

_The acolyte would laugh and ruffle Re-Destro's hair. "Quite right, Rikiya-kun. But the secret the government tries to keep people from learning is that these heroes weren't the only humans who had Quirks. Because when a human had a powerful enough Quirk, they were called a **god**."_

_He'd look up at them with wide eyes. "Like Jupiter and Mars and Venus?"_

_"Like all the gods - Xango and Thor and Indra and Quetzalcoatl. Their Quirks were so powerful that no human - even one with a Quirk - could hope to challenge them."_

_"But there aren't any gods around now," Re-Destro would protest._

_"No," the acolyte would reply, quiet. "For every history of those who had Quirks beyond what we can imagine today, there is a story of how they fell - how their world was destroyed. Men with the blood of angels were washed away by the flood, Fenrir consumed the sun to bring about Ragnarok, and only ordinary men and women were left."_

_Re-Destro would frown, then. "But then why are there Quirks?" he'd ask._

_"Because the Quirk factor is a part of humanity - no matter how many times it is driven underground, it will rise again. No matter how they try to beat us down, our Quirks will struggle to be free."_

It had been a pretty story, but like all children's stories, was - simplified. Quirks were normal. There were _always_ tales that suggested the existence of a Quirk, but there were also times where so many had Quirks it must have been an age like the modern one. But each such age came to an end.

Destro had had his revelation before his acolytes had discovered the truth, but in finding it, they had hailed his vision. For the tales of the end of each age suggested a judgment - the Flood, Ragnarok, and others.

Destruction of those found unworthy, and the passing of the age of Quirks.

Destro's acolytes, and Re-Destro himself, had studied these texts, trying to understand these times of judgment. And there were a few undeniable truths.

There was an entity - a will, immortal, undying - that stood in judgment of humanity. It did so at some undeterminable time after a substantial portion of humanity possessed Quirks. It possessed the power not only to destroy so much of the world that the survivors would remember only the cataclysm, but to ensure those who remained would not manifest Quirks, and would not for centuries to come.

The leaders of the Meta Liberation Army believed, though there was little direct evidence of the fact, that the entity's power could destroy not only people, not only whole swathes of the world, but Quirks themselves. And Re-Destro found it easy to suspect such an entity also had the power to _create_ Quirks.

Because imagining such a being made sense - one who gifted humanity with Quirks, only to take them away if they disappointed it.

It was clear to Re-Destro and his father's acolytes how humanity had fallen short of the judge's standards each time. In every prior age, Quirks had grown powerful, and those with the most powerful Quirks had set themselves up as rulers of humanity. They claimed to be inheritors of creation, _gods_ who stood above those with less power than them.

It began with humans seeking to control how mankind used its God-given Quirks.

So it was a matter of - not faith, but _fact_ \- that unless the Meta Liberation Army shattered the laws that bound humanity's Quirks, they would again find themselves judged, and be found wanting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izaki Ai, 'Visage'  
> Quirk: Anonymous  
> When at least half of Visage's face is covered, other people won't notice them! They can still be picked up by sensors and cameras, and animals aren't affected, but no one can see them otherwise. With practice, they've learned to conceal other signs of their presence, as well.
> 
> And thanks for incognitophenomenon, who probably at least is half-responsible for Visage.


	10. Making History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It should have been easy to defeat the Hero Killer. But he's got friends in low places, and is determined to make his mark on the world.

Stain licked the flat of his shortest knife. The man sprawled against the far wall of the alley didn't move, but that was the point. He was pretty sure the guy was type A, which required a little extra care to keep him from moving before he was out of commission.

"Tokoname Tatsuyuki," Stain drawled. "Slidin' Go. The ideal picture of a friendly, helpful hero. Or so you'd have people believe. But I know the truth. What you get up to on your off days. Encouraging lawbreakers and criminals - people with no _principle_ , just a selfish desire to use their power to whatever end they feel."

"We have - _principles_ ," Slidin' Go gasped. "The freedom of the individual, the rights to wield our own powers without limit-"

Stain kicked the man's side, nicked his arm with his knife and licked along it again, because activating his Quirk stopped even the heart for a split-second. It tended to shut people up, and he was sick of listening to Slidin' Go's hypocrisy. "You sound like an _American_ ," he snarled. "Acting like refusing to hold people to any standards makes _you_ morally superior. Do you somehow believe that if everyone had leave to use their Quirks as they desired, that there would still be heroes? That anyone would take up the mantle to _protect_ people, if they knew people could use their own Quirks to protect themselves? It would be a _slaughter_ , and the fault for it would rest on _your head_. So don't think of this as murder - think of it as a pre-emptive execution."

"Why are you doing this?" Slidin' Go gasped, voice rough, pained.

"Because the world is _broken_ ," Stain snapped.

"Drop your weapons and don't move," a new voice said, and Stain felt his body obey that command, hands loosing his blades as his arms fell to his sides. And then a boy stepped into the alley. His hair was wild, a purple halo around his head, and eyes violet, bags under them, like he didn't sleep. He wore a grey-green suit, in dark shades that faded into invisibility much more easily than amateurish black. There was a dark band around his throat, likely armor, and some sort of mouthpiece that must have made it easier for him to project his voice.

Stain couldn't even twitch a finger, bound by the command as helplessly as both of the boys caught by Shinsou Hitoshi's Quirk during the U.A. Sports Festival.

He'd been unaccountably careless, but he'd assumed Shigaraki's Nomus would have taken care of any heroes lurking around looking for him.

But that didn't mean he'd lost.

Shinsou stepped forward, glancing from Stain toward Slidin' Go. His eyes narrowed. "Will you need assistance to get out of here?"

"Paralyzed," Slidin' Go said. "It's his Quirk - if he cuts you, it's over."

"Well, we don't have to worry about that," Shinsou said. "My Quirk will hold him until the authorities get here." A distant explosion was answered by sirens, and if he could move his mouth, Stain would have smiled. The authorities wouldn't be here anytime soon, and the boy couldn't hold him forever. Every Quirk had its limits, its weakness.

...And in the Sports Festival, they hadn't declared Shinsou Hitoshi the winner until his opponents left the ring.

Stain strained against the control Shinsou had over his body, trying to move something, _anything_. It might wear off naturally, like Stain's own Quirk, or might require focus. In any case, the moment he could get free, the kid was _dead_.

"What, are you hoping he'll just forget about you?" Shinsou's hair was greyed out, and the world around Stain still, filled with the stale scent of what Stain now knew to be a moment where time all but stopped to accommodate the whims of the man who called himself Cipher, the facilitator ( _muse_ , he'd called himself) content to help Stain destroy the corruption that infested the world of heroes. He was currently hovering just within Stain's vision, on the opposite side from Shinsou and Slidin' Go.

"His Quirk has limits - there's a way out, or his teachers would have declared him the winner the moment he caught them with it," Stain said. He straightened, stretching his stiff fingers. Whatever was happening in real time, he could at least move normally here.

"Well, sure. A little pain would snap you right out of it," Cipher replied with a snap of his fingers, "but that's not going to happen with you being all quiet and obedient. It's bad luck he isn't the type to lecture you or sit there quizzing you about your motives, or you'd have an opening."

Stain grit his teeth and took a breath. He'd accepted this man's help in setting out on his quest, but he was hesitant to ask for it again. The cost he'd already paid was...worrying. He didn't think the man had yet steered him wrong, but Stain had agreed to kill anyone Cipher demanded, a promise more daunting after the close call with Hawks (who'd proven to care too much for public acclaim to be a true hero).

Still. He couldn't let his crusade end today.

"You could _help me_ ," Stain growled. "Do more than just stand around-"

"Hey, I do a _lot_ more than just stand around!" Cipher snapped. "For example, offering hilarious quips when you're in a tight spot."

"Then help me _get out of this_! I can't purge the world of filth like Tokoname here from _prison_!"

"Oh, you never know," Cipher replied. "But I still don't know what you expect me to do about this."

"Just distract the kid! You're good at talking-"

" _Talk_? To _Hypnotoad_?" Cipher snorted. "You must be the stupidest person alive, asking me to do that."

"Then what _can_ you do? This isn't real - we're inside my head, right?"

" _But why on earth should that mean that it is not real_?" Cipher quipped. Stain remained silent; if he refused to ask, Cipher wouldn't explain, and he wouldn't have to pretend to care. After a moment, Cipher sighed. "Yeah, we're in your head. What of it?"

"Does that mean you could - take control of my body?" Stain asked. "The kid didn't take control of _your_ brain."

"Huh, I never thought of that," Cipher mused. "I suppose I could. It's a risk, though; if the kid caught _me_ with his Quirk, we'd be _screwed_."

Stain snarled; his benefactor had a point, but that meant paying _more_ for his assistance, however limited. "What do you want?" he asked.

"Short-term or long-term?" Cipher asked. "Because long-term, you don't even _want_ to know. Short-term - well, I'm gonna need to ride you until sunrise. And don't get the wrong idea, it's what the professionals call voluntary possession."

"You'll kill Tokoname?" Stain confirmed.

"I'll _try_ ," Cipher replied. "I can't promise anything, even with those chimeras running around distracting the Pros. Plus, you've got half-trained heroes with promising futures running around, and that's a fucking wildcard right there."

It was better than nothing, given that 'nothing' was going to get him thrown in Tartarus. "Okay. You get me until the sun rises _tomorrow_ , and you do your best to kill Tokoname and keep me out of the cops' hands."

There was a hint of smile, and a hand reached out to Stain. "You've got yourself a deal, Stain-kun." The hand grabbed his own, and something pushed at Stain. He stumbled sideways as the world came back to color and life. Stain's body laughed, an unrestrained sound that filled the alleyway, and then drew a knife out of its sheath and _across Stain's cheek_.

_A little pain would snap you right out of it…_

Stain's body tossed the knife aside where it hit a wall and stuck; and then Cipher made it leap at Shinsou, eyes wild.

* * *

Todoroki wasn't sure what was most worrying about the massive creatures - Nomu, he supposed, was an appropriate name for them, even if that had merely been the given name of the first one they met. Their sheer strength, speed, and resilience was a problem, naturally. The one he and Visage were fighting had so far avoided being caught by Todoroki's ice, even with Visage popping in and out of view to distract the monster.

…In retrospect, thinking about _that_ had brought to light a conclusion that was _absolutely_ the most worrying thing about the Nomus. Because Visage could conceal themselves from humans, and humans _only_. Animals could see them just fine, and he bet Principal Nezu could, too. Which meant…

They had been people, once. With wills, dreams, and hopes all their own.

And now they were puppets. Todoroki shivered, unsure if it was from overuse of his Quirk or the feeling that it might be better to put the Nomus out of their misery than to send them to be locked up somewhere. He let the flames of his left side flicker to life, enough to offset the chill of his right, and slammed a wall of ice into the Nomu they fought, a creature whose head was covered in waving tentacles with bulbous tips, which they used to grab and hurl anything they could reach at Todoroki and Visage. It felt - familiar somehow. Todoroki had met a boy on his first day of school with a Quirk like that. He'd tried to befriend him, an enterprise doomed to failure once Endeavor had learned of it.

Todoroki hadn't seen the boy since, so had no way of knowing if this monster was just pulling at old memories, or if-

Something too terrible to contemplate had happened. Todoroki was certain it was easier to reshape living humans than make new ones.

"Get back!" Visage shouted, from - somewhere to Todoroki's right. Even if you could hear Visage, your brain struggled to identify where they were. Still, Todoroki fell back, ducking behind a car as the Nomu hurled a bench at him. Distant sirens and the sight of smoke suggested there were more than one Nomu loose, that there were more heroes struggling to hold off these monsters.

And then Todoroki's phone chimed - the noise he'd set for the 1-A group chat. He'd set a specific ring for messages from the chat because some of his classmates could get - chatty, and it let him know the notification wasn't urgent.

Except-

All of his classmates had internships. _All_ of them should be in the field, shadowing Pro Heroes.

None of them should have time to be sending cat gifs to the rest of the class.

Temporarily sheltered, Todoroki pulled out his phone and swiped it open.

It was from Shinsou. Two street names (in Hosu, Todoroki noted dimly) and 'HK BKUP'.

The intersection of those streets was half a mile away.

And 'HK'...

"Visage!" Todoroki shouted. "One of my classmates is in trouble!"

Visage appeared next to Todoroki, reading over his shoulder. "You don't think-" they said.

"It _has_ to be the Hero Killer," Todoroki said. Shinsou had been quiet since the Sports Festival, and…

Todoroki remembered Shinsou enthusiastically explaining why his favorite hero was Hawks, and his evasiveness about why he was working with Manual, instead of a more notable hero. Manual didn't have a sidekick, probably wasn't used to giving orders to other heroes. And with Shinsou's Quirk - it would have seemed easy to catch the Hero Killer.

"We can't leave this!" Visage said, yanking Todoroki aside as the Nomu punched through their cover. "Are any of your friends working with someone else who might be close by?"

Todoroki thought quickly; he couldn't remember anyone else working with a hero from Hosu.

But there _was_ someone who would be there regardless, who would revel in the chance at taking out the notorious Hero Killer, who had no fear of someone who had only taken out _lesser_ heroes.

"Midoriya Izuku," Todroki said. "He's working with - my father."

But what were the chances Midoriya would notice the message? Could get Endeavor to understand and chase down a ghost?

Visage nodded. "Well. You know the law, Freeze Tag."

"W - what?"

Visage leveled their gaze at Todoroki, eyes all but black in the darkness. "You can't engage the Hero Killer unless they attack you directly, but you can use your Quirk to get your friend _out of there_. So _go_. I've got this."

Todoroki nodded. "I'll - make you proud."

"Don't worry about _that_ ," Visage retorted. "Just get your friend."

"Right! And - thank you." Todoroki waved at the ground to make a path and began skating as fast as he could toward the intersection.

" _Thanking_ me," Visage grumbled in the background as they slipped out of sight. "As if this isn't what I do _every day_."

It was possible, Todoroki considered as he cut around the edge of panicking crowds and, once, the scene of destruction as a pair of heroes he didn't recognize engaged a winged Nomu that easily evaded their attempts to take it down, that he had a warped understanding of how heroes behaved. That taking risks to save people was _expected_. That Endeavor, who wouldn't risk his reputation to allow a sidekick work unsupervised, or, worse, to catch a notorious villain _without him_ (as if a perfectly reasonable hero couldn't credit their own leadership for a sidekick's victory), was outside the norm.

The streets were quieter here, as Todoroki might expect for a villain who ambushed his prey, who fought them long enough for them to bleed out before anyone noticed the conflict. But as he drew closer to the streets Shinsou had identified, Todoroki heard the sound of metal against pavement.

The street itself was empty, but all of the Hero Killer's victims had been found in alleyways, so it was without hesitation that Todoroki shifted to burst into the nearest alley. A person wrapped in bandages, noseless face looking mutilated, the right side bloodied, stood over Shinsou, a ninja-to held high, catlike eyes wide, face twisted into a delighted grin.

"This is going to hurt you _much_ more than it's going to hurt me," the Hero Killer said, voice breaking into a sharp, stuttering laugh.

Todoroki snapped his foot around, sending ice racing toward Shinsou, arcing up to form a barrier as the Hero Killer slammed their sword down. The ice cracked as the Hero Killer stabbed down, but it didn't give. Todoroki raised a wall between Shinsou and the Hero Killer, forcing them to hop back rather than be hit with a rising wall of spikes. Todoroki pressed a hand against the nearest wall of the cocoon of ice he'd made, melting it so he could reach Shinsou. Shinsou's hand was pressed against his throat. Todoroki didn't see any blood, but Shinsou was wheezing; the Hero Killer had probably, reasonably, targeted Shinsou's larynx once he'd realized Shinsou's Quirk.

"Are you alright?" Todoroki demanded.

Shinsou nodded jerkily. "There's another-" he gasped out.

"Oh, man, this is just as impressive in person as it is on TV!" the Hero Killer laughed, leaping from the top of the ice wall to kick off one wall of the alley to land safely on the ground. "I mean, you're no Elsa, but this is _real life_ , not some cartoon. So." They threw a knife at Todoroki; he dodged, yanking Shinsou out of the way. He didn't want to press his luck with what constituted being attacked directly, and if he had to get a _second_ person out of here, he needed to stay out of the Hero Killer's reach.

"You're probably wondering what I did to your friend, there. Not much, really - he's got this Quirk that can force people to do what he tells them to.

" _ **I̷̗̣̱̼͊͋ ̵̥́̉̇Ḩ̸̧̢̮̩͉̤͙̪͍̂̾̏Ą̶̨̢̻̺̩̱̭Ţ̷͕̘̹̜̠̥͇̠̭̥̅̇̽̊̑͗͋̂͂E̴̢̥̼̲̲̩̤͔̠͖͎̼͇̒̽́̀͊͠ ̷̧͓͚̙̫̞̣̬͖͓̟̭̏̄̀̈́̆̿̾̓̔̾̌̈́͗̂͘͜͜ͅŢ̵̧̧͖̦̮̬͈̹̜͍̭̹͍̠̊̅̔̌͌̾̈́͛͋͐͒̽H̴̭̤̠̰͓̤̤̙͛͘ͅÀ̶̢̢̭̱̪͉̟̰͉̻̳̭̬̼̎̽̉̇̄̏̽̿̇͂̅͘͠Ţ̵͛̒**_.

"But he needs to _talk_ to use his Quirk, so a quick throat punch took care of _that_."

Todoroki saw another body slumped against the far wall, beyond his wall of ice. The Hero Killer dashed toward him again.

 _Fuck_. Todoroki yanked a wall up beneath his and Shinsou's feet, a steepled path that, as he let go of Shinsou, sent Todoroki sliding down toward the bleeding Pro Hero, and Shinsou sliding toward the main street.

Below, the Hero Killer hit the wall, braced themselves, and jumped after _Shinsou_.

Todoroki kicked out, creating a branching path that threw him in U-turn, racing toward Shinsou as the Hero Killer drew a long, straight blade, one yet unbloodied. Todoroki shot past the Hero Killer; he was going to make it-

Everything stopped; Todoroki was even certain his heart had skipped it a beat. But then everything was normal, except Todoroki couldn't move. His body fell, skidding along the ice before falling off the path to the ground.

"Man, this Quirk is the _best_ ," the Hero Killer drawled. "It doesn't matter what sort of Quirk you've got - if you can't _move_ , you can't use it."

Not true. Todoroki's heart was beating, his lungs working, and he could move his _mouth_. Aizawa-sensei could stop the Hero Killer's Quirk even if he were paralyzed. And that meant-

They stepped closer, grinning. There was blood smeared along their mouth, which they licked clean with a swipe of their tongue. Todoroki's left leg was stinging, faintly, suggesting he'd been cut. That suggested the Hero Killer's Quirk required them to draw blood - Todoroki wasn't certain if they _had_ to ingest it, or if it was some weird habit. But it meant if he could get free…

"Take _that_!" If the Pro had kept his mouth shut, had realized a target that didn't know where you were until _after_ you hit them was better than one who had even a moment's warning, he might have taken out the Hero Killer right then.

Instead, the Hero Killer twisted, laughing, as they twisted their sword around to shove it into the Pro Hero's shoulder. Blood splattered across the Hero Killer, the alley, and Todoroki. The Hero Killer licked the flat of their sword, and the Pro Hero dropped.

So.

They had to consume the blood.

So getting cut _itself_ wasn't game over. It increased the risks, but. Todoroki could work with it. If only he could _move_ (the Quirk had a time limit, or couldn't catch more than one or two people, or required the Hero Killer's attention - there were too many variables, and the Hero Killer didn't seem eager to discuss the nature of their Quirk).

"Oh, _man_ , you almost had me there!" the Hero Killer chortled. "Can you imagine if you had? You're barely on people's radar, but if you caught the _Hero Killer_ , you'd _soar_ through the ranks. An enterprising hero could fill the gap left by Hawks-"

"Don't say his-" Shinsou coughed, grabbing at his chest as he did, and the Hero Killer laughed. They must have figured, Todoroki thought, that a laugh didn't constitute a response. After a few moments, the Hero Killer, stepping over Todoroki, spoke.

"Look at you. A _child_ , challenging a man twice your age, relying on a Quirk the _whole world_ saw you use. Are you so arrogant you thought _you'd_ be the one who could beat the Hero Killer Stain?" The Hero Killer - _Stain_ \- shook his head. "No. It's personal. Stain took away the person you looked up to the most, proved that good men will _never_ exceed those who are willing to bully and **hurt** people-"

Todoroki's hand twitched, and with a roar, he rose, kicking out at Stain, tangling their legs and sending the man tumbling to the ground. Stain snarled, a dagger in his hand. Todoroki threw his right arm in the way, deflecting Stain's strike with a bracer of ice-

"Don't you know that good will always triumph - because _I am here_?"

Todoroki almost cried in relief; he didn't know how or why All Might was here, but the fight was wearing on him, an endless swing between safety and mortal peril, so the arrival of someone who could _end it_ made him want to cry.

"You've got to be _kidding_ me!" Stain snapped, turning toward the mouth of the alley, where All Might's voice had come from-

No. Toward _Shinsou_.

"No," Shinsou said, voice clear, steady. "Stand still. Don't talk."

And Todoroki laughed - or sobbed - or something in between, as he scrambled away from Stain. Because Shinsou was _better than him_ at this. He'd kept calm, steady, had played up the extent of the injury to his larynx so Stain would let his guard down.

And now Stain was trapped again.

Except that didn't sound right. Stain had said things about himself that were - odd. Talking about his Quirk like he'd never seen it in action before, the way he'd introduced himself - they could just be idiosyncrasies, but they could also mean-

Todoroki kicked at the ground, separating Stain from the Pro Hero with a wall of ice just as the Hero Killer swung at him with his long sword. The ice was thick enough it didn't break, didn't even crack.

The Hero Killer turned, mouth twisted into a leering grin. And his eyes - they were brown, shaped like a normal human's. "You _knew_ I wasn't trapped," he said, sounding - proud. Impressed? And because Todoroki expected it, he could hear other differences in Stain's voice. His voice was steadier. More _grounded_.

"Whoever was controlling you - didn't have experience with your Quirk," Todoroki said, hoping his voice was steady, that he didn't sound _petrified_. "They referred to you in the third person. So I'm guessing - if one of you gets controlled by Siren's Quirk, the other can take over. That's got to be - _his_ Quirk, right?"

Stain shook his head. "We don't have time for an interview. I might have let you go, kid, if you stayed out of my way. But-" When he looked to Todoroki, his smile was toothy, eyes wild, predatory. "You're _Endeavor's_ son. I can't imagine the apple falls far from the tree."

Stain licked along his blade and Todoroki's knees buckled. Stain hadn't gotten all of his blood before - he'd been _keeping it in reserve_.

As he hit the ground, all Todoroki could think was-

He was going to die. He'd never have a chance to surpass his father, to become someone more like All Might than Endeavor. He'd never grow up, never have a - _first kiss_ , and he hated how much he cared about something so _frivolous_.

Stain took a step toward Todoroki, and was raising his foot for another when a **wall of fire** rose between Todoroki and the Hero Killer.

"Whether my son is what I expect him to be or not, **you** have no right to judge him," Endeavor said - the _real_ Endeavor, not an imitation, because how else would the flame be there? "But know now, Hero Killer, that your reign of terror ends **here** , because _**I**_ am here!"

"How **dare** you?" Stain screamed. He leapt, having somehow climbed up the buildings to either side in the moments Endeavor had been lecturing him, past Todoroki and likely toward Endeavor, flinging a dagger from each hand. He heard a grunt, and the sound of moving bodies, and then the clang of metal against brick. "Using _his_ catchphrase, like you're worth a tenth, a **hundredth** of what he is!"

Todoroki found he could move again; he shifted slowly, trying to avoid attracting attention. It wasn't necessary, it seemed; Endeavor was holding Stain off with twin whips of fire, forcing Stain to keep his distance or risk being entangled and burned by the lashes. But Stain could move quickly, dancing at the edge of Endeavor's range, and the focus needed to keep that up was draining, Todoroki knew. The wall of fire behind them kept Stain pinned down, but it would require Endeavor to keep his focus on it-

"Todoroki-kun!" a hushed voice called. Todoroki turned, and of course, there was Midoriya, half-standing in the wall of fire, waving at him. He darted to Midoriya's side, leaving behind the fight between Stain and Endeavor; Midoriya swiped at the fire, opening a path to the other side, closing it the moment Todoroki was through, and for a moment, Todoroki stood there and just breathed. As impossible as it was to imagine feeling _safe_ around his father, he knew Endeavor had no attention for anything but the villain he was fighting.

"Are you alright?" Midoriya asked. "Shinsou said you got cut-"

"I'm fine," Todoroki replied. He looked around quickly; the Pro was leaning against a nearby wall, and Shinsou was prying one of Stain's knives out of a wall. The alley cut into another street, so they should be able to escape if they just-

There was a grunt, the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, and then Stain soared through the wall of fire, tucked in tight, rolling as he hit the ground to smother any flame that caught him. He rose in front of the Pro, twin daggers raised.

"You picked the wrong side," Stain growled.

"No, _you did_!" Shinsou barrelled into Stain, a sharp jab to his knees sending the Hero Killer stumbling, hitting the ground with a heavy breath. Todoroki was close enough to see it, the moment Stain's eyes shifted, and he almost shouted a warning, except what was the point? Stain was already trying to _kill them_ -

"Sorry, Stain-kun," the creature possessing Stain said, kicking Shinsou's leg to draw him down, and cut his throat.

" **Shinsou**!" Midoriya screamed. Shinsou dropped, the knife he'd been holding falling to the ground next to him. The flame behind them went out, but Stain was running the other way, away from Endeavor.

"We have to go after him!" Todoroki said.

"We need an _ambulance_!" Midoriya snapped. He fumbled at his belt, pulling out gauze, antiseptic. "If we can stem the bleeding-"

"Your friend's done for," the Pro said. He sounded - sympathetic, Todoroki supposed, quiet. But there was an edge to his voice, the suggestion that they had to set it aside, work to save the people they still could.

"Done for? No. He's not dead yet, and that makes all the difference."

There was a shift in the darkness, something falling and then, like the moment Visage reappeared next to you, there was a person kneeling next to Shinsou. His skin was brown, but so dark as to be almost black. He was - tall, slender, but with a smoothness to his movements that suggested strength kept tightly coiled, ready to unleash when it was needed. His eyes almost glowed, a glittering hazel, like jewels, and he had his hand pressed on Shinsou's heart.

"Staunch the bleeding as best you can - the less blood they need to give him at the hospital, the better."

"What the hell are you doing?" the Pro demanded. "Giving the kid false hope! We both know the kid's gonna bleed out before an ambulance can get here-"

" _Not as long as I'm using my Quirk_!" the newcomer shouted. "As long as I'm touching him, as long as I will otherwise, **he will not die**."

"Shouto." Todoroki glanced back; his father was standing behind him, having shaken off the effects of Stain's Quirk. "Come."

At any other time, Todoroki would have balked, would have argued with his father. He had to stay with his friends, to make sure Shinsou would be okay. But this was not a moment for grudges; this was about the duty Todoroki intended to take up one day.

There was a villain on the loose.

Endeavor's fire went out. "Take us after him," Endeavor demanded, and Todoroki nodded. He paused only a moment to pick up the blade Shinsou had dropped; he couldn't shake the idea there was something important about it - that Shinsou had picked it up for a reason. If they were on foot, the delay might have given Stain time to escape, but on ice, skating after Stain on a path that opened out before them, they found him quickly, trying to navigate a street that had somehow become a battlefield between half a dozen Pro Heroes and two Nomus. 

"You have my permission, Shouto," Endeavor said.

"W - what?"

"Fire or ice - it doesn't matter," Endeavor said, as he leapt from Todoroki's path. "We will take this villain out _together_."

And Endeavor snapped his right arm out, a blast of fire erupting out, so wide it should be _impossible_ to avoid. And Stain froze; there was a moment where one of his eyes gleamed yellow, catlike, reflecting the flames arcing toward him.

And then he kicked off the ground, which fractured under the force of his jump, and soared over the flame. Panicked, Todoroki launched a series of ice bolts at the incoming villain, but Stain's hands blurred, snapping his long sword to swat every incoming projectile away. His arms were bulging, veins pulsing with every twitch of his body.

And then Stain landed; Todoroki was shifting to freeze him in place when Stain blurred into motion - at fast, at _least_ , as the Nomu who'd attacked them at the USJ. Stain slammed into Endeavor, or must have, because Todoroki was thrown aside by roaring wind, and when he landed, he saw his father spread-eagled against a building that looked like it'd been hit with a truck. Todoroki stomped on the ground, but Stain met Todoroki's wave of ice with a flurry of punches, shattering the leading edge with the first strike before he kicked off the ground again, a shorter hop, before blurring, slamming a leg into Todoroki's stomach with about the same force as the hardest he'd ever taken from Sato.

Or would have, if Stain's leg weren't moving fast enough the friction alone left it trailing flame, and if the blow hadn't come with another blast of wind that threw Todoroki back far enough he bounced twice before he came to a rest. When he stood, Stain was back in combat with Endeavor. Endeavor was fully aflame, every punch and sweep of his legs sending a blast of fire at Stain. But the other man was _too fast_ ; he always seemed to be just out of reach, with the only bright spot that the fire whip technique Endeavor had taken from Midoriya was _mostly_ enough to keep Stain away from _Endeavor_. Stain's skin was red, something like steam curling away from it, and Todoroki felt a moment of hope. Stain was pushing himself, looked to be overheating, and that meant if Endeavor could hold him off long enough, Stain would collapse _himself_.

But Stain only had to get lucky _once_. Todoroki was already on an ice path when he saw a knife score along Endeavor's face. Unable to push himself faster, he just prayed, the only thing left he could do.

Besides think. Stain licked the knife he'd used to cut Endeavor, who went down, helpless.

...When Todoroki had arrived, there'd been _blood on Stain's cheek_ , but neither Shinsou nor the Pro had had a knife.

Stain had cut himself, and Todoroki thought he knew why. And Shinsou had seen a knife Stain had thrown aside and picked it up.

Todoroki threw up a dome of ice, knowing it would do little to hinder Stain in his current state, but it _would_ attract his attention.

"Is this like a union thing or something?" Stain (or rather his possessor, Todoroki noted, looking at his eyes, now _both_ vertical slits in gleaming yellow) demanded. Stain was suddenly inside Todoroki's guard, a knee hitting his stomach, an elbow knocking him higher, and then a kick. Stain leapt after him, the two of them rising with the force of Stain's blows. "That you have to get in the way every! Single! Time!" The last word was punctuated with an overhead swing of Stain's fists that knocked Todoroki back to the ground with a bone-jarring impact. But even though his limbs ached, his head swam, and his heart was racing, full of panic, Todoroki forced himself back up. Shinsou had proven himself among the best of them, and Todoroki couldn't call himself a hero if he couldn't raise himself at least to that bar.

Besides, he knew how to win.

"You can't keep a hero down," Todoroki growled.

"Sure, you say that," Stain's friend chortled. "But I've got a way to keep you out of the way just long enough." And he swiped a knife across Todoroki's right cheek.

Todoroki, who'd been expecting that, grabbed Stain's elbow and wrist and twisted, forcing Stain's hand open so the knife fell. Todoroki grabbed the handle of the knife and darted away, trying to get some distance from Stain. But the Hero Killer was faster than anyone Todoroki had ever met, sweeping his leg before Todoroki could take more than two steps. Stain rolled Todoroki over with his foot and pried the knife out of his hand.

" _Jesus_ , kid, I appreciate the whole 'heroic resolve' thing, but this is a bit much." Stain's tongue drew across the blade.

And he collapsed.

Todoroki dropped the bloody knife he'd switched out for the one coated with Stain's dried blood next to the man and turned. And realized he had an audience - bystanders and heroes alike, standing frozen, watching the scene. He felt his mind stutter, every lesson his father had given him about public speaking abandoning him.

All he could remember was the first thing Visage had told him about dealing with the public. "Horror and comedy come from the same impulse - surprise. Laughter comes when you realize the surprise has no threat. There's value in banter during combat, but when the danger is done, you need a way to let people know it's okay. All Might can do it with a smile, but for the rest of us, all we've got is humor."

He lay his right hand against Stain's chest, pinning him in place with his ice, as much to hold him in place until the police arrived as to think of what to say. What did people say in moments like this?

"Tag," Todoroki said. "You're it."

He wondered if he should be smiling, but it seemed to defuse the tension, anyway. The police were, it seemed, on their way, and Todoroki melted the shield he'd put up around Endeavor before Stain's Quirk wore off. Endeavor was - tense, when he rose, and Todoroki found the tension flowing to him even as he tried to handle the congratulations of other Pros. Whatever Endeavor had said, _he_ had wanted to bring down Stain, and the fact that Todoroki had done so himself, rather than making it look like Endeavor had done it himself, promised _consequences_.

It left Todoroki distracted, the only explanation he had for why he didn't notice the flying Nomu until it grabbed him, talons piercing his shoulders as it rose with labored beats of its wings. They were ten meters up before Todoroki had the presence of mind to consider his ice, but he wasn't certain he'd be able to catch himself without breaking something.

He was on his third considered plan when a flaming spear struck the Nomu's skull, making it waver, its grip slackening. And then Todoroki was in free-fall. He reached out with his hand, calling up his ice, and-

Froze.

Because his father was on the ground, one hand out, smoking.

And behind his father was Stain, pale, on his knees, shaking, his hands on the grip of the sword sticking out of Endeavor's chest.

The Hero Killer had claimed one last victim.

Todoroki didn't remember who caught him, or much of what happened in the blur of the rest of the night, because all he could remember was the expression on his father's face.

Focused, but - disinterested. Detached. As if saving his _youngest son's life_ was no more important than a _press conference_. If Todoroki had ever imagined his father _saving_ him from peril, the scenario would have involved some confirmation that his father _loved_ him, not because it was - part of the job.

It was enough to give someone a complex.

Well, another one.

* * *

"Oh! Izuku!" Midoriya's mom lunged at him, squeezing hard enough he couldn't breathe. "I was so worried-"

"I just got a little cut, Mom," Midoriya said. "Endeavor tried to keep me out of the action." 

"Izuku, please don't lie to me." Midoriya's mom waved at him, and he looked down, where blood was drying in his costume.

"Oh, um, that's. Mostly Shinsou's." Midoriya felt his lip quiver. He'd ridden in the ambulance with Shinsou and the mysterious man with the life-saving Quirk, but had been sent in for a standard check-up and observation while Shinsou went to surgery. The hospital bed sheets bunched within Midoriya's grip as he remembered the bloody, panicked wait for the ambulance to arrive, his only company a man who hadn't answered the few questions Midoriya had had the presence of mind to ask. "We've been waiting for news."

"We? Oh." Midoriya's mom sat back a little when she saw Todoroki, who had a few more bandages, a sling, and was staring out the window. "You aren't hurt too badly, are you, Todoroki?"

It took a moment for Todoroki to turn his head. His expression was - not quite distant, but it was disaffected. Todoroki had looked like that a lot when they'd started at U.A. Well, not when he'd looked at _Midoriya_ , but - when he looked at anyone else.

"No, thank you, Midoriya-san."

"Your father-"

"He's dead," Todoroki said, voice flat.

"O - oh! I'm - sorry, Todoroki."

"You - are?" Todoroki asked, voice high, incredulous. "Huh."

Midoriya tugged his mom's arm and shook his head. He'd tried to talk to Todoroki already, and the other boy was in - shock, or something.

"Well, I'm certain your friend Shinsou will be alright," she said, patting Midoriya's hand.

It was hours still before they got confirmation, when they brought Shinsou into the room and onto the free bed. And Midoriya, having been mostly cleared for anything other than actually fighting villains, scrambled out of his bed to pull Shinsou into a relieved hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay! I know that man said you'd be fine as long as he kept using his Quirk, but he wouldn't explain how it worked, so I wasn't _sure_ , and - the police have Stain, and, they're interviewing everyone. Did they talk to you yet?" Shinsou shook his head. "Oh, well, they're probably planning to let you rest. You lost - a lot of blood. On my, mostly. I was - worried."

Shinsou shrugged, and it occurred to Midoriya he was acting strange. Quiet. And on noticing the bandages around Shinsou's throat, remembered exactly what had happened to him. "Oh. Sorry. I guess we should get you a notepad or something until your throat gets better."

It was only then that Shinsou started to cry, silent sobs against Midoriya's chest.

* * *

If Endeavor had survived, things might have been different. If the Number Two hero had taken out the Hero Killer, had glowered at press conferences while the internet was flooded with people analyzing Stain’s philosophy, Dabi would have felt disgust rise in his throat, would have been driven to the people who the media theorized had backed Stain’s murder spree.

Because anyone who wanted to destroy that bastard was worth a shot, in Dabi’s book.

Instead…

Stain had been defeated by Endeavor’s youngest son, using Stain’s own Quirk, instead of the one Endeavor had passed on to him. Stain had hospitalized one of the favorites of the Sports Festival, a boy with promise, who'd castigated an aspiring hero who didn't live up to his ideals.

If Todoroki Shouto had used his fire, had stood, imperious over his victory, Dabi might still have drifted to the League of Villains.

But the boy had paused in the face of victory, had restrained instead of wounding, and had turned his back on his father’s legacy.

Dabi had laughed for ten minutes straight when he’d heard the stiff boy say, cool, clearly, ‘tag, you’re it’. He was thinking of making it his ringtone.

He didn’t think he could fight that boy, couldn’t scar him with the flames that had haunted his childhood.

 _Both_ their childhoods.

And because Todoroki Touya didn’t join the League of Villains, things changed. Todoroki Shouto didn’t face a man who used flames to kill, whose scarred face bore enough resemblance to his father’s to trigger memories of a hellish childhood. He never faltered, and no one died for his hesitation.

The Shinigami might, in another age, been called gods, but they had learned long ago to work with a light touch. The course of the future might be shifted by a pebble falling in a different way, by the flapping of a butterfly's wings.

By a man appearing to save the life of a single child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crossroads  
> Quirk: Guardian of the Gate  
> When touching a living creature, Crossroads can use his Quirk to make it impossible for them to die. No matter the extent of their injuries or illness, they cannot pass on as long as he wills otherwise. Of course, if their wounds aren't survivable, the only way to keep going is for him to never let go, so getting medical treatment is vital if you're so badly wounded you need his attention.


End file.
